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It's been going on for awhile, now,  but I still have to laugh when I see the stores putting out their Hallowe'en candy and costumes...in August. Why? Because they don't stop at candies and costumes anymore!  Now you can also find pet dog and cat costumes, personal fog machines,  inflatable, life-size cemetaries, complete with amusing headstones,  motion-sensitive haunted house sound effects, Hallowe'en lights to drape on the eavestroughs and in the trees, 8 foot tall headless horsemen and their ghostly steeds...Hallowe'en just seems to get more and more popular and elaborate every year!

                            Original Caramels

In Peterborough, Ontario, folks start decking their porches and trees with 'spider webs' and 'crime scene tape' in the last week of September! They have leaf bags that look like pumpkins on their lawns and paper lunch bag ghosts hanging from branches, the moment they rip the page from their calendars for the new month!

 

 

People seem to like Hallowe'en for the same reason that they enjoy movies such as the Twilight series and TV shows like True Blood and Ghost Whisperer. They are all about supernatural creatures like Vampires and Werewolves, being terribly scared and, oddly enough, everlasting love. It's both romantic and Freudian!

                          Hallowe'en Cookie Kit

You don't have to be a kid to enjoy Hallowe'en anymore! I've decided to have fun with it ... why pass up an opportunity to celebrate something AND to make things? Besides, how can I resist a haunted gingerbread house that I can decorate myself!? I LOVE this! It is such a clever idea and would be so much fun to make with some kids or artsy pals! You could make an awesome haunted village! The cookie kit is also irresistable and I want to make a bunch of them and give them to some special friends! Fun!

                            La Caterina + Vampire

Last year, my husband and I dressed up as La Caterina and a Vampire! We joined friends in their backyard, toasted marshmallows over the bonfire and enjoyed the Full Moon.Then we walked home in the lovely Autumn night, to eat more candy! Perhaps this year, I can persuade him to put up a Hallowe'en tree and hang our Hallowe'en stockings by the cauldron!

                          Hallowe'en Kisses 

How do you celebrate Hallowe'en?

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members.

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

I adore collecting good ol' Canadian vintage toolboxes. They're just so versatile, making fabulous centerpieces for tables and providing great storage with flair for most anything. However, collecting the antique varieties can be pricey, or the wrong size for what you desire. So what’s one to do? Easy... make one yourself! Trust me when I say that I’m not a pro-builder, so I came up with a cheat sheet method to create a complete toolbox out of one board. Yup, it was that easy!

Here’s how I did it:

1. Find a unique handle of choice.

It can be anything from a branch, an old tool, to a standard dowel. The handle will help dictate how large your toolbox will be.

2. Cut a board down to accommodate  two sides, one bottom and a front / back.

Use two different boards if you desire a two-toned look or different dimensions.

3. Pre-drill holes for the handle, then insert. Screw the rest of the toolbox together and you’re done!

Don’t be afraid to get really creative with that handle. This drill-handled toolbox was a little more complicated to create as the sides required additional shaping with a jig saw, but it was worth the extra effort. The sky's truly the limit where design is concerned.

Are you also a collector of toolboxes? What do you use them for?

Special thanks to fellow Canadian Julie from Follow Your Heart Woodworking for leading a toolbox workshop on my blog HERE!

Photos and design are courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors.

White picket toolbox tutorial is HERE.
Drill handled toolbox tutorial is HERE.

If you gave me a choice as to whether I’d prefer to cook dinner or mow the lawn, I’d personally be mowing the lawn before your question was even completed. This girl just LOVES the Canadian outdoors!

Because of that, I love to bring the outdoors in with my decorating. This super easy to make, branch-handled tray, was loads of fun to create. You can make it any size that could easily be used indoors and out. It makes a super cute table centerpiece as well.



 Here’s how!

1. Cut a long board in half then brace them together by screwing smaller boards across the underside.

2. Measure out and cut your branch handles and handle supports.

3. Pre-drill holes in the handles and supports, then screw them together from the top.

4. Screw on handles through the bottom of the tray.

5. If you wish for matching coasters, simply cut chunks of wood to the desired size.

My own tray is more decorative than productive, so just be sure to test the handles for strength before carrying anything around with real weight to it.

Other creative tray ideas: chalkboards, old cabinet doors, vintage signs.

Have you created a unique tray out of unusual, reclaimed items? I’d love to hear about it!

Design and photos are courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors. The full tutorial can be seen here.

Happy Halloween!!!  It's time for another Canadian-made holiday!! By the way, this means there are only 54 days until Christmas!! You're welcome!

So, for our family Halloween must-haves we have decorations - pumpkins, hay, spider webs and purple lights.  We're having a kids party with friends this afternoon,  so we also have home-made treats.

We have costumes, of course ...

... the pumpkins are carved ...

... crafts have been made, numerous times.  In fact, I thought that I'd share a craft we've been making this season.  For a Halloween ghost, grab three tissues, crunch two of them, cover them with the third tissue, tie with a string and then draw a face with a black marker.  Very easy and fun to make a bunch with the kids.  Try tying them in a tree out front or from a straight banister.

What else do you need for a perfect Halloween?  Well, some good weather of course; who's mother ever made them wear their winter jacket over their costume???  I remember when mine did!!  Doesn't look like it will be quite that cold across most of Canada this year, although it's always a good idea to try and layer some clothes UNDER your child's costume before heading out to trick or treat so that they can keep going longer.

Speaking of "trick or treats" - don't forget to support Canadian businesses as you pick up your treats today. Canadian company, Allan Candy, has some fantastic treats and we will be handing out their ALLAN INTENSE Jubes & Jellies this year. To mix it up and send at least two treats home with every trick or treater, we will also be handing out Canadian favourite, Tootsie rolls!

What are some musts and traditions for your family on Halloween?

:: images courtesy of StaceyK. 

Just ten more days until Hallowe'en, Canada ! I found three awesome Canadian sites, crammed with all sorts of fantastic, dare I say, "spooktacular" ideas! Let's take a look at what Canadian Living, Chatelaine and Yummy Mummy have to offer in the way of spooky inspiration for the quickly approaching fest!

Pumpkin Hermits

Canadian Living came up with Your Complete Guide to Halloween Fun !  From Hallowe'en menus and party ideas, to costume inspiration and crafts to decorate your spooky, spooky home to what to do with all that pumpkin - they have it covered! Since I haven't eaten yet, I was distracted by the seventeen, "Tested Till Perfect" pumpkin and pumpkin seed recipes. Yum! I know from how my mouth is watering that I will be trying a couple of them at least! I love pumpkin pie and roasted seeds but I'm also intrigued by the Pumpkin Carrot Soup and the Pumpkin Lace Cookies ! There is definitely more to see here than just recipes! It really is a complete Hallowe'en guide! 

Bloody Good Martini 

Chatelaine  has some very sophisticated Hallowe'en treats to tempt you with, including a Bloody Good Martini ! Not intended for the kiddies, mind you, but perfect for a Hallowe'en Howl of your own! It has ginger beer and vodka in it, among other absolutely delish ingredients! Since we won't want to drink on an empty stomach, let's consider serving  some Black Magic Toast with Orange Pepper Salsa  and following that up with some Scarecrow Chicken Sticks ! There does not seem to be any actual crow in the recipe, for those of you who wondered. I bet it would taste like chicken, though! You will find costume and decorating ideas too, and some great articles, including one on how expensive Hallowe'en is becoming!

Don't forget kids with allergies !

Yummy Mummy Club says "Horrors! It's Hallowe'en!". I think they like it though! They have a great article on how to have Hallowe'en with kids who have food allergies to contend with. You'll find some really helpful and fun suggestions!  I really like their article on how to have a green Hallowe'en,  too. Reusable trick or treat bags that the kids can decorate are a brilliant idea as is the Costume Swap! It all just takes a bit of thinking ahead, but the results are well worth it! 

These sites should keep your imagination fueled and your hands busy!

Are you trying anything new this Hallowe'en? 

:: images courtesy of Canadian Living, Chatelaine and Yummy Mummy. 

 "I am a Haunter ...  a person who decorates their yard, house or sometimes even creates amateur 'haunted houses' at their estates."   - Victoria L. Wolf,  Ontario, Canada.

A couple of weeks ago, maybe even in September, my husband and I were driving when I noticed a graveyard that hadn't been there before. It was complete with tombstones, gargoyles, cobwebby stuff and various bats and other creatures of the night.  It spanned the front and side lawns of an otherwise unthreatening bungalow. A woman was raking leaves around a tombstone. "Huh" I thought.

Two blocks down, what do I see but yet another spooky cemetary! They seem to be popping up everywhere! Sure, haunted houses at Hallowe'en are nothing new. But every year, more and more Canadians  are turning their yards into scenes from a nightmare or horror movie.

Of course, Dollarama and the other dollar stores make it incredibly easy and really inexpensive to put together the tomb of your life, but who knew just how many people would jump on the band wagon? Or should I say 'hearse'? It's all about supply and demand though. The people must have demanded more Hallowe'en stuff.

When was the last time that you saw Santa and his sleigh and reindeer on the front lawn of someone's house at Christmas? Maybe one lawn or two per neighbourhood? Remember how people used to go all out at Christmas and your folks would drive the family out to see all the displays? Does that still happen? It seems that, around here, anyway, Hallowe'en decorating is far more popular! I'm not saying that I don't like it! I just think that the shift in interest is interesting!

The Ontario Haunter's Association  site is dedicated to providing links to the locations of haunted houses and yards in Ontario.  It also has some great pumpkin carving tips and templates. Check it out, too, for decorating how-to's and ideas  for creating your own haunted house or yard. They also link to Canadian suppliers of scary decorations.

You may also enjoy The Hallowe'en Project,  which lists even more links to haunts across Canada! I think that it would be fun to have a look and see if I can put together a little tour of our local haunted yards and houses to go on!

So, tell me, are you a haunter ... yet? 

:: images courtesy of W. T. Gibson and the Ontario Haunters Association

  

 

 

 

                                  

 

They are also proud supporters of Fashion With a Passion and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

:: Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member Kruger Products Ltd.

The word knitting is derived from knot, which is thought to originate from the Dutch verb knutten, similar to the Old English verb cnyttan, to knot. Once an essential means of protecting ourselves from the elements, today, knitting is a skilled craft and hobby producing beautiful pieces that still keep us cozy. I love to knit but time is often my foe. To become more skilled in the craft, my goal is to make some time and learn to knit mittens and striped socks, which I adore! I am hopeful that by next winter my fingers and toes will be warm as will all my poppets.

Knitting is hip! In my opinion it always has been, but now, knitting is over the top. This is especially seen with sites like Ravelry (A place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration), knitting circles and guilds all across Canada and all the fabulous Canadian knitters who blog about their craft, such as Hook and Needle with great tutorials and Knitty blog with knitting news (including a piece about a Toronto school art teacher who started a knitting club that inspired both boys and girls to participate), contests and more.

 As a shopper, I find that I am a bit of a tightwad and most of my knitting supplies are found at second hand stores and yard sales. It is truly a joy to chat with seasoned crafters who have tips and stories but who's hands can no longer craft. For me, it is the best way to collect my knitting needles. Sometimes my pocket book widens when it comes to the wonderful world of yarn and ohh, there are beautiful yarns available in Canada! The retail stores Patons and Bernat have several Made in Canada selections. I adore shopping online for yarn, too, as the possibilities are endless; alpaca, merino, wool, angora and mohair, bulky and fine and, of course, any colour of the rainbow. The Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited has a great shop with yarn, supplies, and books as well as this chunky yarn I've been coveting for a while. Sadly after 12 years, Four Seasons Knitting Products is closing it's virtual doors and tempting me with a plethora of discounts.

I know that it'll take years before my socks and mittens are well made enough to be given as gifts, let alone worn, in fact a little, wee voice mocks me about the time needed to hone my skills. Time is a rare commodity in my life so back to scarves and big fluffy wash cloths in those rare sitting moments. Fortunately all is not lost.  Buy Canadian First member Les Bas de Julie can help with her beautiful wool socks, another item on my wish list.  One of these days I am headed to the city to where the wool things are and join my friend Andee for a little knitting. Who knows, I may learn how to knit a mitten yet!

I would love to know if  you knit, crochet or spin? What are your favourite materials, current projects and knitty hang outs? 

photo sources: Flickr- Sunny Buick, Canadian co-operative wool growers ltd, flickr- 111emergency, BCF mamber Les Bas de Julie

Only 3 days after I boasted that Southern Manitoba had yet to get snow, the snow started to fall Thursday morning and just hasn't stopped. I peeked at the Environment Canada website and the forecast for the rest of the week consists of temperatures at least 10 degrees cooler than last week. Winter in Manitoba has arrived. Tomorrow we will have to leave early, my girls will have more to wear and it will take much more time to walk and inspect their new landscape. They will want to count the snowflakes (at most to 20), taste the snow, admire their footprints, then run around to admire more and giggle in the sheer newness of it all. Despite all my bellyaching, I do not hate winter; in fact winter is one of the best times to start a new project. Once the snow falls, my focus falls to Christmas and the planning and creation of hand-crafted Christmas gifts and winter necessities. It seems early, but when you are creating by hand, time is your best friend.

It wasn't until I moved to the country that I started receiving homemade food items as gifts; canned items like jelly, relish and salsa, a delicious selection of cookies and salty handmade treats. It was the season after my first Christmas here that I followed suit. The quest for the perfect homemade and unique food item has since haunted me. This year I am toying with barks and brittles, savoury crackers with homemade yogurt cheese spread and the relish I canned this summer or my hot chocolate mix with (something I have never tried before) homemade marshmallows . This list is not written in stone; coconut macaroons are one of my favourites, spiced nuts and biscotti are other treats I would like to try. This is why I start now, test the recipes, see what works and what flops, then mass produce the best.

Homemade Hot Chocolate (Pegg, is this your recipe?)

2.5 cups dry milk solids
3/4 -1.5 cups of icing sugar
1 to 2 cups cocoa
pinch of salt
optional (ground cloves, anise, nutmeg, black or red pepper, cinnamon, all spice, or any other spice and any combination)
Sift together. Keep in airtight container. Add mix (to your desired taste) to hot water or, for extra creamy hot chocolate, add to hot milk.

I love mittens and with two little girls (and myself) in the house, we lose a lot of mittens. So this year, the plan is to make extra mittens, so that in the morning rush of ski pants, boots, scarves, hats, screams of discontent and trying to remember lunch, we always have a pair of mittens. My materials are old fleece and old 100% wool sweaters. The fleece you can use as is, but the wool needs to be felted  so that the knit doesn't run. I intend to trace the girls' hands on to card stock and use that as a pattern to create simple, woolly mittens designed to keep our fingers warm during our walks to and from the centre. You can find patterns for fleece and felted wool mittens online for just a few dollars. With a trip to the secondhand store and a little time, we could all have a basket of mittens. Of course, these make great little stocking suffers that can be filled with little toys, goodies or....coal!

Yes I know this is a pretty short list but I have a lot on the go, school, work, kids, house, well.. you know. If I can make all the above and get some cards out before the new year, I am ahead of the game! That would be a first!

Do you make or bake gifts during the holidays? 

photo credits: willowcat, flickr becky_mckimmy and andrea_r