Palliser Limited Edition for a Great Cause!
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"Canadian pride may not rest on our sleeves, but it resides deeply in our hearts."
Steve Miller
The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family, along with their zoo animals, emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra and "Richard Parker", a four hundred and fifty pound Bengal tiger. Soon, the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for two hundred and twenty seven days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional ... but is it more true?
I'm really looking forward to reading this famous story! For now, congratulations to the winner of "Triggers", Catherine Kelly! Let us know what you think! I would love to discuss it with you and find out how you think the people in your life would react.
To win a copy of our next book, "Life of Pi", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, August 20, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much to everyone for participating! Don't forget to Like us at the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook and share us with your friends!
Have you read "Life of Pi" yet or seen the movie?
:: Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo and sfwriter.com.
3. Place boards on the wall and insert one screw in the middle. Pivot the board with the help of a level. Once in place, add two more screws. Paint the screws white.
Tip: I spaced the boards random widths apart as well so I didn't have to measure a thing!
The end result is a glorious white wall, loaded with charm, that was super easy and price efficient to create!
(If you wished for a more permanent version, I'd suggest to add caulk to the seams and paint out the entire area one last time.)
So, what do you think? Would this treatment work anywhere in your own home?
Photos and tutorial of the board and batten project are courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors.
Buy Canadian First members, Jeremy and Monique Rivett-Carnac, founders and proprietors of St. Francis Herb Farm, have some wonderful products that will help make our made-in-Canada Summer even more enjoyable, including a brand new product launch!

I am not sure about the rest of Canada, but I do know that the sweltering heat of Manitoba has us craving delectable, cold treats. It doesn't take much to break a sweat over here right now. So what Canadian treats can we get our hands on to keep us cool as the mercury soars?
What happens when Buy Canadian First member Ninette, a Canadian stay-at-home mom of seven children, decides to make ice cream? She makes the most dreamed of flavours ever that are low calorie and low fat: Cinnamon Apple Pie, Gingerbread Crunch, Raspberry Truffle, Mocha Almond Fudge, Thyme Lemon Fusion and Basil Lemon. I can only imagine scoops on waffle cones or homemade granola sprinkled over the Cinnamon Apple Pie! What about a Thyme Lemon milkshake? Oh be still, my taste buds! Sadly, I am unable to get Ninette's scrumptious ice cream here in Manitoba. In fact, outside of Quebec and eastern Ontario, the rest of us Canucks are out of luck. Don't dismay! If you Like the Ninette's facebook page, you can enter to win a five pack of ice cream, valid anywhere in North America!!! Wouldn't that be a wonderful delivery? In the meantime, if anyone driving from Quebec or eastern Ontario is driving west with a few blocks of ice and a cooler, message me; I want one of each Ninette's flavours!
I may be unable to get Ninette's ice cream right now but I can still find some yummy ice cream locally and drizzle (or drench it) in Buy Canadian First member Crofter's Organic Jellies, Spreads and Conserves. Wild Blueberries, Apricot and Super Fruit spreads are among the delicious flavours. Crofter's is environmentally conscious, and their fruit is organic and not genetically altered. Their cane sugar is also organic and sourced from ethical and environmentally friendly sources. I am dying to try these spreads on my plain Greek yoghurt, over vanilla ice cream or even a dollop on my oatmeal (though that's not a cold treat). While I know that I can pick up these jars of fruit preserves at local organic food stores and regular grocers, I can also have Crofter's delivered to my son, in British Columbia, or myself in Manitoba, through Buy Canadian First member Well.ca ! Be sure to join their facebook page for updates and events.
Buy Canadian First member Soyummi has healthy and wholesome, naturally sweetened desserts to indulge in on a hot day or anytime. Soyummi not only makes my favourite, tapioca pudding, with real tapioca pearls, they also offer Cherry, Chocolate, Rice and a limited edition Lime pudding. It is wonderful that they also use organic ingredients that have not been genetically modified. In fact, Soyummi has a long list of ingredients that they do not use in their products. I look forward to tasting their tapioca as I am not keen on making it myself from scratch. I guess that the proof is in the pudding! Catch them on Facebook!
While you are surfing Facebook, have a cup of my favourite, cold chamomile tea with crushed mint and honey over a mountain of ice, and make sure to come and visit us on Buy Canadian First's facebook page. Be the first to know about our latest blog posts, contests and great Canadian-made items!!
What are your favourite cold summer desserts and drinks?
Image credit: Buy Canadian First members Ninettes Ice Cream, Crofter's Organics, Soyummi
Welcome to the July edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Robert J. Sawyer!
Born in 1960, Canadian science fiction writer, Robert J. Sawyer, has twenty-one published novels. He has won over forty awards for his fiction! Sawyer may be best known for his novel "Flashforward", which was turned into a popular TV Show. Unfortunately , the show was cancelled after one season, but it did get a lot of press and social media followers. Sawyer was actually a story consultant on each episode of the series and wrote the nineteenth episode, "Course Correction".
"Triggers" actually takes place in the U.S. and has a focus on the President. Terrorists have been attacking the U.S. with a new type of bomb and the President is planning a huge retaliation, however, he is shot during a speech and ends up in the hospital. Meanwhile, another bomb goes off, destroying the White House. At the same time that the bomb is going off, a Canadian memory researcher is using a new device to erase memories. The electromagnetic pulse that the bomb creates makes the memory device expand and causes a group of people to be able to read each other memories! This leads to someone being able to read the President's memories and might lead to the discovery of the retaliation attack that the U.S. is planning against the terrorists.
This was a fantastic read, very fast paced, with well developed characters. There are interesting mysteries as we discover who is involved and who is reading whose memories. I was happy that Robert J. Sawyer wrote the memory researcher as a Canadian who grew up in Toronto and went to a Canadian university. It was a great way to tie in our multi-cultural country. I also love that it's not just science fiction; you can look up things that Sawyer brings up, such as "consciousness" and "quantum entanglement" and you can learn more about the research being done and how it relates to the memory experiments discussed in the book.
A fantastic read and one I highly recommend!
Contest Giveaway:
Here's a chance to win your own copy of Robert J. Sawyer's book, "Triggers" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about Robert J. Sawyer, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!
Would you like to be able to read someone else's memories?
Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo and sfwriter.com.
When I was a kid, I spent quite a lot of time in Whiteshell Provincial Park, with my grandparents. As an only child on Summer vacation, I grew accustomed to entertaining myself in this glorious corner of eastern Manitoba. My creativity blossomed as I created intricate frog villages in the sand adorned with natural items such as pinecones, pebbles and twigs. I would collect shells and stones and arrange them into patterns as well as draw on the docks with charcoal taken from old campsites; these endeavours would take hours. Despite the amazing time that I had as a child, my adult brain, aware of the dangers, would have a hard time allowing my children that same kind of freedom. We, as parents or caregivers, can still give children the health and creative benefits of the outdoors! This week at the daycare we spent the better part of it outside. The best part about being outdoors is that it naturally sparks creativity and you need very little in the way of supplies.
Mud is messy and wonderful outside! You can make bricks to dry in the sun for a fort, bird nests, bowls, pots, pie and soup (which is the best soup of all); all this and the fun and laughs of getting messy and dirty! Mud is so great that it even has it's own international day !! Perhaps some tools from Buy Canadian First member Garant will make all the difference.
Yesterday, at the daycare, the school-aged kids and I went for a nature walk while the smaller ones slept. We collected all sorts of interesting natural items and some found items, too. Later that afternoon we sat down to create nature collages with our found items; all we needed was glue and cardboard.
We often take containers of paint and big brushes outside. Whether we paint on the sidewalks or on large sheets of paper, the big brushes and large painting space creates a sense of freedom in creativity, as there is no mess to make! Of course, don't forget to bring the sidewalk chalk as well!
Outside crafts and activities are often most fun if you follow your child's lead and add the needed supplies as you go. Get messy, try and follow a bird and then make her a feeder or look for interesting, recyclable materials to create toad homes in your garden. Take lots of pictures! The memories will be well worth the effort.
What kind of creative, outdoor activities does your family do?
image credit: Buy Canadian First Member Garant and Andrea Willowcat
If you ever come across an old wheelbarrow, bound for a nearby dump, grab it! They make amazing planters for your Canadian garden.
This design resembles a miniature or fairy garden. A birdhouse, a machine part to hold water and little rocks for a pathway is a charming start. However, the elements soon disappear as the flowers take over in a big way!
Here are some perks in using a wheelbarrow for a planter:
How to create a wheelbarrow planter:
Once you try a wheelbarrow planter in your garden, you'll wonder why you didn't have one sooner!
What creative planters do you have in your garden?
Photos and design are courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors
July and August are THE months to go camping. There are a few of us that head out in May and June, but you can run into cold nights or nasty bugs, then. July and August in Canada are 'made' for camping. Let's look at some tips to consider when it comes to choosing a park to camp in, a tent vs. a trailer and what to bring.

4. Be prepared! Don't pack the car to the brim with everything you 'might' need; figure out what you'll actually use and just take that! Are you cooking by fire every night (check the local fire bans!) or are you bringing a bbq/stove? Do you need a pot, fresh water, cleaning products? Do you have an air mattress or bedding? Toiletries? Make a master list; there's lots to consider. Be prepared for bugs and find out whether ticks are a concern. Mosquitoes are just about everywhere and, trust me, getting even one trapped in the tent at night can mean being eaten alive by morning. Look into products like Buy Canadian First member Muskol, an insect repellent providing eight hours of effective protection against mosquitoes, black flies, biting midges, deer flies, stable flies, ticks and chiggers.

5. Check the weather forecast! Got a rain day in there? If there are no local attractions you can escape to, make sure you have some entertainment for when you are trapped in the tent or trailer. A deck of cards, magazines, books, puzzles and board games are great. I really like this Hunt and Seek Canada from Buy Canadian First member Editions Gladius.

What we eat is very important. This is not about eating perfectly but about making an effort to truly watch and know what it is that I am putting into my body. Preservatives, artificial sweeteners, refined flour and sugar are some things that I have tried to purge from our diet. Whole grains, such as Buy Canadian First member Noasap and their Manitoba grown wild rice, are a staple in the house now. We have also added beans to our diet as well as Buy Canadian First member True North Salmon' s products to our table. The basic rules we try to stand by is to buy Canadian, local foods first and to steer clear of processed products.
Eating and sleeping. Breakfast is so very, very important, as it has likely been over eight hours since you have last eaten! Your body is waking and needing fuel for the day. To keep a body's metabolism running smoothly it is said that eating food, not skipping meals, is best. So I eat three meals and two to three small snacks a day. Since school has let out for Summer session I am no longer up in the wee hours snacking as I write papers. This small change, in conjunction with a lot more sleep, has resulted in a five pound weight loss in three weeks! Eat well and often and sleep well, it works!
Add fitness into your daily routine. No, I do not mean to run a few miles every morning, unless you wish to. What I am talking about is taking fitness opportunities on top of your regular fitness schedule. Chase your children through the park, climb the monkey bars, go for a family bike ride, take the stairs or walk to the store and carry your groceries home. Take every opportunity to add activity into your days. (I would love to get these bicycle bells from Buy Canadian first member, Dringdring, one for each of my girls, for our family rides!).
For me, Summertime may be the easiest time of year to lose weight, even with the temptation of milkshakes, iced tea and other cold beverages and the end of the day s'mores treats. It's just too hot to eat as much. Here in Manitoba, as I bask in the seventy percent humidity and the thirty above weather, I know that the true test will be in the Fall, with the cool weather and my nose buried in my textbooks once again. Until then, I will happily apply my own tips and tricks and take advantage of the beautiful weather!
What helps you stick to your fitness goals?
Image credit Buy Canadian First members Noasap, True North Salmon and Dring Dring
Last summer, I had a nice patio table and chair set out on the deck, however I was always longing for more of a lounge kind of sit.
Ramping it up a notch, a vision of something rustically unique came to mind. And so the pallet outdoor sofa was born.
The frame was built to accommodate a mattress found at the thrift store. From there, reclaimed cedar planks were used for the seat and random pallet boards for the back. To pretty things up, the mattress was covered in a painter’s drop cloth and random thrift store pillows offered all the comfort necessary.
Not only am I totally enjoying my new lounging area outdoors, this project also won a Canada-wide Upcycle 2011 challenge! How cool and unexpected was that?
Have you created any of your own outdoor furniture? What did you use or make?
Photos and design are courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors. Full tutorial HERE.
It's National Fishing Week in Canada! Running from July 7th to the 15th, this week is to encourage more Canadians to experience recreational fishing. In Ontario, you don't even need a licence to fish this week; check the National Fishing Week website for information on licence-free days in your province. National Fishing Week is a coast-to-coast-to coast awareness program that has been declared Canada's week to explore the magic lure of fresh and saltwater sport fishing. Parents, youngsters and wanna-be anglers everywhere, are invited to experience Canada's amazing outdoors. With over one million lakes, rivers and streams, plus three oceans, Canada can justly boast the greatest array of fishing adventures anywhere on the planet!
It wasn’t that long ago that I was shopping for a headboard. I wasn’t finding anything to die for so I just hung in there... until an old horse gate from a burn pile was discovered. YES!
The size proved to be perfect for my king-sized bed. The added sawhorse at the foot of the bed completed the rustic look.
Adding hooks to the gate offers loads of fun opportunities for ever-changing decor. Today, it's decked out for Summer. What will I do for Fall... or Christmas? Fun!
Installing the gate to the wall was as simple as screwing it into studs. The "messy bed" look was created by throwing loose linens on top of a quilt. The sleepy cat on the bed fully approves! Other unique headboard ideas could be old doors, fireplace mantels or large vintage signs. If an object is the size of the bed, it can be a headboard!
Do you have a unique headboard?
Photos and design courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors. Full tutorial can be found here.
Stress!! I am certain every Canadian Mom has had their moments with this common foe. As moms, we run our homes, juggle work, school schedules, extra curricular activities and obligations. For me, stress usually builds up when my time is short; everything piles up and time for the more important, as well as wonderful things, becomes short at hand. I know we often don’t have enough time but one thing that I have learned is that running on empty is inefficient and usually means that I get less done. Here are five tips for the fabulous mom to slow down and de-stress.
1. Break a sweat. I made all sorts of excuses not to join a fitness class until I saw the results my friends were having. What I ended up gaining was a better attitude, a physical release for stress and tons of energy! The lost inches became secondary to how awesome I was feeling and I discovered I did have at least two hours a week to spare. You don’t have to join a fitness class. Buy Canadian First member Stott Pilates has videos and equipment for your home gym.
2. Be grateful. Sometimes, being bogged down with what feels like the neverending to-do list, clouds your view of what’s around you. Buy Canadian First member Ecojot has these lovely mini 3x4 inch journals to jot a few things down that you are grateful for each day. Things like gigantic thanks for the morning hugs from your family or something small like a butterfly landing on your arm. You may even be thankful for your ritual morning coffee or tea. Whatever you are grateful for, write it down and you will feel the weight lift off of you.
3. Laugh often. Find the people who bring joy into your life and keep them close. Play and be goofy with your kids, as much as you can (as they grow up and then move away to go to university). Get your best friends together and enjoy each other even if it’s only a few times a year.
4. Do something you love. We each have our own hobbies and activities that we adore. For me and the kids, it is a trip to the zoo. We are looking forward to seeing the international polar bear conservation centre on our next visit. We also love pulling out the craft supplies and creating to our hearts delight. I also adore listening to music and Buy Canadian first member Indigo Books and Music has a great selection of Canadian music. As you know, I have another favourite Canadian music site and that is CBC Radio 3 .
5. My very last tip, and maybe the most important stress removal tool is Sleep! No matter what, sleep will help you focus, lose or maintain weight and de-stress. Check out Buy Canadian First Members Essentia , Simmons and Dream Designs for a wonderful selection of Canadian-made mattresses.
What are your best stress reducing tips?
image credit: Stott Pilates, Ecojot, Chapters Indigo
If you’ve been keeping up with Canadian (and beyond) design trends in home decorating, you’ll have noticed by now that numbers are a huge hit. Who knew that numbers would be desireable things to hang up on a wall? But they are! The premise is that a number resembles a piece of vintage sign history. They also just look cool, and the good news is, if you make one yourself, you can have it say or look like anything you desire.
Want to make one of your own? Here's an easy and affordable way you can whip one up in an afternoon!
1. Sketch or print out a number or letter in the font of your choice.
2. On a large piece of plywood, sketch your design. I used chalk.
3. Cut out the shape with a jigsaw, and sand the edges well.
4. Paint it up , hang it up and be proud!
Are you a numbers collector? Where do you like to display them?
Photos and design are courtesy of Donna at Funky Junk Interiors. Full tutorial can be found HERE.
I hope everyone had a fantastic, Canadian-made Canada Day!! We had a fun day of local celebrations, playing in the pool and BBQ'ing some yummy food. Speaking of the BBQ and yummy food, I'd love to tell you about a new website I am co-authoring: Canadian Moms Cook.
At Canadian Moms Cook, co-author Amanda, from Multi-Testing Mommy and I, share family favourite recipes, new ones we try off the net, new finds in cookbooks and more. We share the real results on how it went, what our family thought, including those picky kids, and show you what the dish really looks like, too. We don't include any of those fancy cookbook or Pinterest pictures of food that that no one can reproduce. I always try to include recipes that have a Canadian-made element, whether it's wraps full of veggies from the local farmers' market, or a new find like the Wrap Trap, designed by a Canadian Mom.
Is there one dish in particular that says "Canadian" to you?
Images courtesy Canadian Moms Cook.
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