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I know I am often found complaining about Winter, which is pathetic for a prairie girl who marches to work with her little girls in -30 temperatures. I do love the Winter; the crunch of the snow, the way the snow crusts over the tree branches and the way the sun turns the landscape into a sparkling wonderland. I don't love the wind or all the layers of clothes and sinking knee deep into snowbanks. What I dislike the very most are the short days; waking, dressing and travelling in the morning darkness and returning home in the dark as well.

This past week brought -40 temperatures to Southern Manitoba, but life keeps trucking on. I find when the weather becomes like this, I have no problem hibernating in the house, catching up on work or watching movies with the kids. We start to feel it after several days, though. Everyone gets a little cranky and if I don't occupy them, they'll occupy themselves, usually at the expense of my house. So here are few quick and easy tips to keep little ones busy, when the weather is keeping you inside.

• The Giant Cardboard Box: the stuff of endless adventures.
• Journal everything!! Be inspired by Canadian author/illustrator Keri Smith and draw everything you eat for one day or make a stain log. You'll need a journal for this, especially an eco-friendly and adorable one, made in Canada, from Eco Jot.

 

• Collage - Grab anything and everything paper from your Blue Box, including fliers, magazines, clean food wrappers and more or try the pantry for noodles, rice, dried beans and legumes to create a mosaic.

Some Canadians are not so lucky in the Winter; just dealing with a common case of Cabin Fever with a side of antsy, grumbling family members would be a walk in the park when compared to experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) , also known as 'the winter blues'. 

People with mild symptoms of SAD can offset them by trying to get as much sunshine as they can. Arrange your furniture and trim outdoor branches to maximize the light in your space. Go for a walk during lunch and add lamps to your space to brighten things up when the evening comes.  Another activity to boost your mood is simple exercise. especially helpful is a routine that was created earlier in the year. Bodyguard Fitness has several home gym systems to choose from and keep you active inside during the winter months.

 

 

People with more severe symptoms of SAD need to see their physicans for treatment. If you wonder if you're depressed or if you are concerned for someone else, visit Depression Hurts.ca for a questionnaire and more information.

What are your favourite ways to squash cabin fever and kick the winter blues? I know this little prairie girl could use some more ideas.

 

 Images courtesy of Flickr member Markusram, andrea willowcat and Bodyguard Fitness.

 

So here it is, another year has come to an end. Was it a good one? Did you accomplish all that you hoped? I hope that 2010 brought all of you what you dreamt of. 2010, for me, came with changes, some big and others small. There were a few triumphs, some sorrows, visits with old friends that are always missed and all of it, peppered with the giggles of my kids. 2011 is a whole new 365 days that will unfold itself into another year, hopefully filled with some adventure, new beginnings and ultimately, peacefulness. Oh yes, and what kind of New Year would it be with out resolutions and goals?

So what's in store for Dre this year? 

1. Some solitude. I have 3 children of my own and work as a childcare assistant. I am surrounded by giggles and complaints nearly every moment of everyday, including the nights since my toddler has taken to waking in the wee hours. Everyday I would like to find at least 30 minutes to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee (I'd love to try the this dark roast from Kicking Horse Coffee , I have enjoyed some of their other roasts and this one is next), a chapter of a book or just to sit and watch the world pass my window.

 

2. Wellness and fitness. In 2010, I lost about 20kg (about 45 lbs.) and there is still a bit more to go. Taking stock of my habits and the things I enjoy, I know that the gym is not for me. Neither are boot camps or slaving away in a class trying to organize my limbs to follow the instructor (which is a futile task). In 2011 the fitness goals for me include play and peace. Playing with my kids, teaching the eldest girl to ride her bike, tag, hide and seek, rolling down hills and running back up. It truly is the most simple of ideas, just play. The peace comes through a yoga routine: a quiet moment to focus on breathing and the body. To focus on the self and the energy that passes through. I will also visit the dentist, get a check up and focus on improving my diet...though this may or may not alter my coffee intake.

 

 3. Balance. Life is busy. Work, family, school, chores and other unexpected events all take time and deserve the best that you have to give. One can not ignore the value of  balance, though! This year, to tip the scales, I plan to be "cruisy mellow", take some time to maintain my personal blog , go on a vacation , and create, draw, sew, paint, write, take photographs and daydream, all of which may find it's way to my etsy shop .

I have high hopes for 2011, a busy year like every other year, but balanced with time for the small things that fill up my reserves and keep everything in evenness. I hope it turns out to be all I dream it to be. I also hope that your new year is all you want it to be, filled with dreams and hope, blessings and learning. Most of all, I wish all of you heaps of goodness and joy.  How do you plan to spend your 2011? What are your goals and wishes, hopes and dreams for this new year? 

 

 Photo credits: Kicking Horse Coffee, willowcatstudio

The uninviting autumn grey skies are telling us that old man winter is on his way, if he hasn't already arrived in your region. Here in south central Manitoba we have already had our first sampling of snow, it's gone, but it was just a reminder of the mountain of snow we will soon receive. So when the blustery weather keeps you indoors, when the highways are encrusted in ice and when the windchills will claim your nose and fingers here is a fabulous list of blogs, from our members, to cozy up with. Here's Part 1. I couldn't fit them all in this post, so Part 2 is coming soon! 

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation blog "Finding Hope" invites everyone to share their inspiring stories and experiences with breast cancer.

Chicki's Musings - A jewellery artist who showcases her work in polymer clay, chainmaille and other creative musings. Also be sure to check out her beautiful flower calendars.

 

Frett designs - By fashion designer Michelle Secours. Stay informed on the latest clothing designs, trends and events.

Gentle Earth - The company's blog is about healthy green living and environmental awareness.

Glengarry Gardens - They offer tips to living harmoniously within yourself. It's a wonderful addition to their natural holistic canadian-made products.

Hint of Eden - The founder of the company discusses cosmetics and more, naturally.

Hotdog All Dressed inc - No recipes here, unless it's for dog treats! Keep up on where the Hotdog team can be found with great gear for your pooch, kitty or horsey.

Monster Factory - Their blog is all about the monsters, the amazing plush monsters. Blog and products are witty, fun and totally adorable.

 

RIM Blackberry - Tons of updates, new BB features, help, tips and much more.

Organically Hatched - Their blog is focused on finding quality organic baby products for their consumers. It's always about baby but the information is universal for everyone who wishes to live organically and with safe products.

Safari Condo - Discover more about this very creative company, the events they are going to, as well as great new campers and camper vans models they are working on.

Salts Organic - Theirs is a great eco fashion blog.

Totem's blog - Check out the happenings and new products with these gorgeous stereo speakers and their makers.

Tuscan Farms Garden - Owner Heather's blog is a warm and inviting read about the farm, family and favourite things as well as the organic and natural body products they create.

Well.ca/BLOG - Canada's online drug store is talking about health, beauty make-up and sales. Keep on top of new products, Canadian products and everything in between.

willowcat.studio - This artist's blog is a little bit about everything. See what she is creating and doing, meet the family and follow links to her favourite places.

 

What are your favourite Canadian blogs? Do you have your own? Post your url here and tell us what it's about!

Happy reading Canada!

I would love to take a moment and announce the winner of our Aroma Crystal Therapy Giveaway.  This is our second giveaway here at BuyCanadianfirst.ca.

On May 7^th, I wrote a blog post profile on Aroma Crystal Therapy. 

The prize was a gift basket from the great folks at Aroma Crystal.  The basket includes:

• A 6 oz. tube of Gardener's Dream Cream - The award-winning Gardener's Dream Cream is made from 100% natural ingredients and pure essential oils and combines the benefits of vibrational and aroma therapy.  It provides amazing moisturizing for all skin types and so much more. Customer's have used Gardener's Dream Cream for weird rashes, muscle & joint pain, edema, skin conditions and soothing massages.
• A jar of Ohm - Ohm is a naturally nourishing, rich facial moisturizer which protects the skin and promotes a youthful complexion. Ohm acts as an effective barrier against pollutants and toxins that dry and age skin. The fragrant formula promotes circulation and helps to smooth fine lines and wrinkles with the power of 100% pure essential oils and extracts.
• 5 sample packages of the Gardener's Dream Cream.

To be eligible, participants had to answer the following question:

"What kind of Canadian-made products do you purchase the most and why?"

The winner of this prize pack is:

KristyJahn-Smith

Please email me at tinachicki (at) buycanadianfirst (dot) ca to claim your prize!

Thanks to all who participated and keep reading! More giveaways are coming soon!

I would like to announce the winners of the first ever Buy Canadian First giveaway! March 10th I wrote a post entitled Roll up the rim with the Rimroller and a contest, I asked you, our readers, to answer the question: "Why I buy Canadian", in order to be elligeable to win one of 4 Quickpay Tim cards. Take a moment to read the comments. We had such a great response!

Using a random number generator, we drew the following winners on Friday:

Emily Fryer

Cara Swenson

JayD

Julie Pederson

You will each receive a $10.00 Quickpay Tim card! YAY!!!! Congratulations.

Please email me at andreawillowcat@buycanadianfirst.ca to claim your prize and we will mail it to you pronto!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. Come back often. There will be plenty more Giveaways coming soon!

Photo sources: Flickr Creative Commons-House of Sims, Tim Hortons

 Blog post written by: Joseph Wilburn

 

 

Si vous êtes un entrepreneur canadien, fabricant ou vendeur de produits faits au Canada, c’est à vous que je m’adresse.

Saviez-vous que vos concitoyens canadiens désirent vraiment faire affaire avec vous? Ils ont seulement besoin d’un petit coup de pouce pour trouver vos produits. C’est là qu’intervient Achetons canadien d'abord. Nous sommes un site Internet dont l’objectif principal est de bâtir une communauté qui lie les consommateurs canadiens aux fournisseurs canadiens (je parle de vous bien sûr!) afin de créer un petit paradis de magasinage «Fait au Canada»!

Nous pouvons présenter votre marchandise sur notre site Web et en discuter sur notre blogue The Good Shopper. Nos entreprises ont toutes besoin de se faire connaître un peu plus et de recevoir des commentaires de leurs clients n’est-ce pas? L’objectif de mettre un site en ligne tel qu’Achetonscanadiendabord.ca est d’augmenter la visibilité de produits de qualité faits au Canada dans un marché inondé par la publicité.

Venez donc jeter un coup d’œil à notre site! Si vous désirez obtenir un devis estimatif ou si vous avez des questions, n’hésitez pas à laisser un commentaire ici ou envoyez un courriel à Isabelle Remy, fondatrice {courriel: isabelleremy (arobas) buycanadianfirst (point) ca}.

Devenez un fournisseurs d’Achetons canadien d'abord et obtenez votre part du gâteau!

Photo: orange42, Flickr.com (creative commons)

 Blog post written by: Joseph Wilburn

 

With the barrage of horrendous news for Canada's manufacturers constantly in the media spotlight, I wanted to get the news out about something positive going on in our manufacturing sector: Canada's a leader in the green technology movement.

What that means is that we produce many computer and computer components here in Canada. When you choose to buy products they produce, that helps to support your local computer manufacturer and do something good for the environment at the same time.

 

It seems as though the smaller local guys are doing it right when it comes to providing quality products (like Intel) but manufactuered here in Canada. In the past, many local computer companies found it hard to compete with the bigger computer companies especially lacking their large marketing budgets. Today, even though marketing plays a role in driving sales, the rise of the conscientious consumer has helped erode the marketing dominance of the big boys.

Here in Canada, we have no fewer than 4 manufacturers: MDG (headquartered in Oakville, On), Northern Micro (from Ottawa, On), and Ciara Tech (based in Montreal, Qc), that produce systems that are compliant with EPEAT standard. This standard has been developed to help environmentally conscious consumers in choosing electronics that support their needs. This is in addition to other industry supported standards like Energy Star and Electronic Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC) designed to serve this same community of consumers from product creation to management of electronic waste.

It's really a win-win situation when you can buy from Canadian electronics manufacturers and know that they are helping contribute to the solution to reduce energy use and electronic waste production. I'd encourage everyone to take a look at all these manufacturers and the associated industry websites and make an informed choice on which products will serve your needs.

Photo by: aiming for you, flickr, creative commons

 Blog post writen by: Joseph Wilburn

 

If you're a Canadian entrepreneur, maker or seller of Canadian-made goods, then I'm talking to you.

Did you know that your fellow Canadians really want to do business with you? They just need a little extra help finding you and your products. That's where Buy Canadian First comes in. We are a site dedicated to building a community that connects Canadian consumers with Canadian vendors (that would be you!) resulting in made-in-Canada shopping bliss!

We can showcase your goods on our website and talk about them on our blog. Everyone's business needs a little extra coverage and feedback right? That's what we aim to do at Buy Canadian First: increase the visibility of quality Canadian-made products in an ever louder marketplace.

So come on in and take a look around! If you'd like a quote or if you have any questions, feel free to contact our Founder & Managing Director (email: isabelleremy (at) buycanadianfirst (dot) ca).

List your Canadian-made products on Buy Canadian First and get your piece of the pie! 

Photo Credit: orange42, Flickr.com (creative commons)

 Blog post writen by: Joseph Wilburn

 

Photo credit: Daniel Paquet; Source: Flickr - Creative Commons

Bear with me a moment. I have to proclaim I have a bit of a soft spot for Saskatchewan. My grandfather was born there in Prince Albert and so I always like to go back there any time I get a chance. I'm also super happy to be able to write about it, too!

Most of you have probably heard that Saskatchewan is having a bit of a renaissance these days and is booming . It's pretty nice to be able to report on something good (economically-speaking) these days.

You hear a lot about the boom in Saskatchewan, but no real specifics as to what that means. So what's going on there that makes them so hot? I wanted to make a list for all of you:

• Demand for Saskatchewan oil and gas is up
• Grain crops have been in high demand this year
• Potash
• Diamonds! (who doesn't like those?)
• Bio-fibres like flax and hemp
• Mustard (yeah! Goes good on those excellent prairie beef burgers)
• The Seven Wonders of Saskatchewan

It's pretty clear that Saskatchewan has a lot of natural resources that the rest of the world wants and needs. That's pretty good built in marketing if I do say so myself.

You've taken a look at the links now, right? I put that last one in as a plug for travelling to Saskatchewan because people always ask "what's there to do there?" There ya go! They've got unique natural flora and fauna, spas, great food, First Nations and Metis culture and much more. 

Canada is a huge country (I know I don't have to tell you), we have a lot of nooks and crannies out there to explore, so get going already! They are already ahead of you.