Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

The very best part of my job is discovering awesome products made all across this beautiful land of ours. This week, I was blown away by Krumpers Solar Blinds, based in Ottawa and run by dynamo Diana Livshits.

 

Diana is passionate about her products, with good reasons. Krumpers Solar Blinds are the only 2-sided reversible blinds on the market: one side for the summer and one side for the winter. They help regulate the temperature inside your home all through the year; saving you money on heating and cooling by up to 40%. See how they work in this demo:

 

That demo says it all, doesn't it?!

Krumpers Solar Blinds act like sunglasses for your windows:

1) They reduce glare by 70-80%;

2) They stop more than 92% of UV rays;

3) They protect your furnishings and décor from fade.

 

Krumpers Solar Blinds act like insulation for your windows:

1) In the summer: they keep the heat outside, reducing heat transfer by up to 76%;

2) In the winter: they keep the heat inside, reducing heat loss by up to 45%.

 

Krumpers Solar Blinds are completely transparent:

1) They do not obstruct the outside view;

2) They do not add colour or texture to a room, so you can decorate as you wish;

3) They offer full privacy during the day: you cannot see through them into the house.

 

Krumpers Solar Blinds are made-to-measure and come in 3 different styles:

1) Roller blinds;

2) Vertical blinds;

3) Fix panels.

They are strong, durable and easy to clean with a damp wet cloth. And best of all, they will pay for themselves within a few years and will continue to save you money for years to come. Now that’s a true investment!

Check out their handy price calculator and read some awesome consumer reviews.

We are so excited to bring you a great offer from Krumpers Solar Blinds, exclusive to Buy Canadian First readers, followers and fans:

Get 10% off any blinds, from now until December 31st 2012!

Just mention "Buy Canadian First" when placing your order. Then sit back and watch your heating bills melt away!

Images courtesy of Krumpers Solar Blinds.

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.

Proud wearers of Tail-Wags helmet covers are of all ages. Founder, Karyn Climans, designs styles in sync with each customer's wants and desires. I find myself saying this every other day because this is why I became a customer and soon after joined her to market to the francophone community.

I'm very demanding when it comes to consumer products no matter what the price tag is. When I first received the cover - the leopard for my 8 year-old -, I put on my quality assurance cap and got out my checklist: stitching, touch, print, packaging, label, color comparing to web site display. Tail-wags got a perfect score!

And it doesn't end there. Tail-Wags contributes to our local economy  and creates jobs, as it is 100% Canadian from start to finish. The fabrics (fleece, lycra), the designs, the cutting and sowing, all done here!

And kids are wearing them all over the house not just on wheels or slopes! They are an extension of their imaginary. And adults wear them as a rallying symbol for triathlons and what not!

Not surprisingly, Tail-wags has been getting rave reviews from the media all across the country. CBC News, TFO Broadcast, Parents Magazine.

Without further a due, here are my 4 top picks for Halloween or any time of the year as of that matter!

The Gladiator for the bold one! Made of fleece for those chilly trick-or-treat evenings:

Blaze through the speed of light:

 

The Princess's tiara sparkly purple and her soft tulle. Girls love to feel the tull flow as they ride:

And for the wilder kind, The Wild Thing. Can you hear it?:

So wait no more! Get yours in time for Halloween. And we're offering 10% off throughout October.

Diana@tail-wags.com

Looking forward to hearing from you!

A warm hello to all my Anglophone and Francophone readers. I'm Diana Yazidjian, a Montreal entrepreneur back from a 9 year ride in Europe. I have an editorial site on business and also on nifty finds Yazziness.com. As of late, I have partnered with Tail-Wags 100% Canadian brand for the love of the brand and what it represents to us Canadians. I am so pleased to be a guest blogger on the Good Shopper Blog and hope that you will enjoy my nifty finds! Looking forward to hearing from you also!

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!! Canadians have been celebrating Thanksgiving Day every year since 1879, but I was surprised to find that the date was initially a Thursday in November. The date of the celebration has changed several times since then until, in 1957, it was officially declared to be the second Monday in October.


Who's celebrating the made in Canada way? Local turkeys, veggies, and pies are a great way to celebrate while supporting Canadian farmers and businesses.


Before we headed to one family celebration Saturday, we hit up another Canadian tradition - apple picking!! Did you know that apples are Canada's largest fruit crop in terms of weight of food produced, and that the McIntosh, which is the only variety grown in all apple-growing regions of Canada, makes up half of all Canadian apple production? We didn't get any McIntosh though; we stuck with my boys' favourite Galas, and my favourite, Mutsus. After picking, we stopped in the bakery for a pumpkin praline pie - it was delicious! If you're in the area, one great place to visit is Buy Canadian First member Wagner Orchards and Estate Winery . Not only do they have apple picking but also horse drawn wagon rides, a bakery and winery open for tasting and purchases - the perfect way to spend a fall day.

Speaking of apples, we enjoyed a great treat during another family thanksgiving get-together this weekend (yes, we had a couple to go to), apple cider! It's the perfect drink for a Thanksgiving celebration. Buy Canadian First member, Growers Cider , makes a fantastic line of cider including Granny Smith, Gala Apple Strawberry, and White Cranberry. It was a fun treat for everyone and brought back some great memories of crisp fall days of old.


As a young family, we are enjoying keeping up our family traditions and creating new ones. What are some Thanksgiving traditions in your family?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Wagner Orchards and Estate Winery and Growers Cider.

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

I am not the only one who gripes about how many more hours are required in one day. If we really needed more we could fly to Venus for their generous 5,832 hour day, except that the air quality isn't so great. Luckily, we can save ourselves the 38 million kilometre journey and be thrilled to get an extra hour this weekend, albeit at 2 in the morning. For those at you with night lives, last call has been extended! Those of you with kids...you'll be up to see the dawn, I'll have the coffee brewing!

  

Daylight savings time was first implemented in Germany in 1915 and was soon adopted by Great Britain, Europe and Canada, though Benjamin Franklin had first suggested the idea a century earlier. Because the Sun shines while everyone is still asleep, pushing the clocks forward in the Spring causes people to wake up earlier and be able to better use the Sun's light. That is why we 'spring ahead' the second Sunday of March and "fall back' the first Sunday in November.

  

In Canada, it is up to each province to decide to use daylight time, and most follow the program. The exceptions are most of Saskatchewan, who has remained on standard time since 1966 and is joined by some border towns in Manitoba and Alberta. There are some pockets of Ontario and BC as well as Quebec, north of 63 degree west longitude, who remain on Atlantic time year round. Frankly, it's all a little confusing. I wonder if it is really worth the effort? In the winter it feels like you travel to work in the dark and you trudge home in dark, making the little sunlight you do see, bliss, as it sparkles on the snow.

In a nutshell,  daylight savings was designed to help save energy by timing our lives better to the times that the Sun is available.

Now that you have this elusive extra hour in your life there are a few things that you must accomplish. This is the time of year to think about your smoke alarms and to check their batteries. It is important to have a working smoke detector on every floor and in every room used for sleeping. For more information about smoke alarms please read this Health Canada page.  While you are carting around the ladder, why not exchange your regular bulbs with energy efficient CLFs bulbs? Each one will save you $40.00 over the course of it's lifetime!

  

So, Canada, fall back one hour this Sunday morning, check your smoke alarms and change your bulbs and when all is said and done, you'll be safer, energy efficient and without that one gained hour! Who's taken the map to Venus?

Do you have routines for when it's time to set the clocks back one hour?

::Images courtesy of Flickr.

It's getting pretty cold over here in Manitoba. In fact, just the other day we were granted 100km/h gusts of wind with a steady drops of nearly freezing rain, not fun. Ice covered all the puddles this morning, winter is near. With Halloween just around the corner I know lots of Manitobans are whispering this mantra; "please don't let the snow fall before Halloween". All together now: "Please Do Not Let The Snow Fall Before Halloween!" It looks like our collective thoughts are already working. Environment Canada is giving us clear sunny days and crisp cool evenings until early next week. But, then again, this is Manitoba! The old adage around these parts is "Wait five minutes and the weather will certainly change"!

 

We have had great Halloween nights the last couple of years! I wore flip flops in 2008 and it was fabulous, until the sun went down, but once I couldn't feel my toes anymore it didn't matter much. Last year the air was much colder but we made it without the white stuff. My little monkey and my baby bear trick or treated to their hearts' content, while my zombie dragged his corpse around town with his buddies.

 

Even though battling the elements and squeezing our costumes over big bulky sweaters or snowsuits may mean misshapen costumes, everyone will still look as cute as a pile of puppies. Unlike city trick or treating, trick or treating in a small town is a lot more relaxed. Nearly every house you go to belongs to someone you know and receiving baked goods or a massive bag of popcorn from your neighbours is no longer fodder for your weary imagination. You know that Mrs. Marion is not trying to poison your children! Truly the scariest thing about Halloween is not being visible. Last year, chasing my two little girls, zigzagging from one side of the street to another, you can't help but see how easily a child, or anyone, could be stuck by a motorist. So, when you are out there, please add safety first tape reflector strips to your costume or carry a flashlight and make sure your can't trip over your costume.  Health Canada has a fabulous list of precautions to take to keep Halloween fun and safe.

  

While you are waiting for a fabulous Halloween night, you should spend some time and create your In-Case-of-Zombies-Press-Play-Create-the-Soundtrack-for-Defeating-an-Army-of-the-Undead at CBCradio3. You could win a $50.00 iTunes card, like I did!! This is the contest (I am commenter #17)  and here is my winning play list. Today is the last day of the zombie soundtrack but CBC 3 continues with the Eh List contests! This coming week is Unplugged: acoustic goodness for the soul, so good luck!

 

This weekend, to the tunes of our playlist, we will carve our pumpkins and get our costumes ready, along with our mittens and scarves, just in case. My littlest one will be out trick or treating, for the first time, bag in hand, screaming her guts out at an acquaintance's door, begging for candy! The 'Willowcat' sisters will be gathering twice as many candies...and I am hoping for a bagful of rockets! Readers, spill all your Halloween details here!

What's on your Hallowe'en playlist?

  

:: all photos by willowcat!

 

L’automne est définitivement parmi nous.  Plusieurs d’entre vous êtes plus ou moins heureux de voir cette saison se montrer le bout du nez, et certains d’entre vous êtes plutôt comme moi et êtes presque jouissifs de vivre pleinement cette superbe saison et de profiter de ce que ces courtes semaines ont à nous offrir!

Le mois d’octobre est un mois rempli d’événements et d’activités à faire pour accueillir l’automne en beauté.  Un des plus importants événements selon moi est le fait qu’octobre soit le mois de la sensibilisation au cancer du sein.  Cette cause me tient fort à coeur car ma mère ainsi que ma grand-mère ont été atteintes.  Ma grand-mère a malheureusement dû se faire enlever un sein à cause de cette fâcheuse maladie, par contre ma mère heureusement s’en est bien sortie avec une chirurgie mineure et de la radiation. 

Aujourd’hui, 10 ans plus tard, je suis heureuse de savoir que ma mère a survécu et est maintenant complètement libre de cancer.  On peut tous aider à soutenir cette cause, et chaque geste, aussi petit soit-il, compte pour beaucoup.  Plusieurs marchands offrent des items que l’on peut acheter pour bénéficier la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein, comme par exemple Cashmere® qui fait la promotion du papier hygiénique rose. En plus, ce produit est fabriqué au Canada, donc une raison de plus de s’en procurer, car non seulement nous soutenons une bonne cause mais aussi l’économie Canadienne!

 

25¢ provenant de la vente d’articles de l’édition limitée de papier hygiénique Cashmere® rose seront remis à la Fondation canadienne du cancer du sein.

Cashmere® a également lancé un concours nommé Top création, Top cause Votez, qui est un concours où les internautes doivent voter pour leur design favori de la collection Blanc Cashmere 2010, qui est une collection de vêtements fabriqué entièrement à partir de papier hygiénique.  Non seulement Cashmere® contribuera $1.00 en votre nom à la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein, mais de plus, Cashmere contribuera 5 000$ à la Fondation au nom du designer qui aura reçu le plus grand nombre de vote.

Plusieurs autres marchands offrent des produits ‘roses’ faits au Canada tel que Bureau en Gros, et Foxy Originals.  Cette dernière est une compagnie qui fabrique des bijoux 100% canadiens, en plus d’offrir une collection de colliers fabriqués spécialement pour amasser des fonds pour aider à la sensibilisation au Cancer du sein.  Pour chaque collier de leur collection Pink Eco & Eden vendu, Foxy Originals fera un don de 5$ pour la sensibilisation à la cause. On peut dire que les canadiens sont non seulement fiers d’être canadien, mais aussi soucieux  de la société et des bonnes causes.

  
 
 
Donc, comme vous pouvez le constater, il est vraiment facile de contribuer à cette cause et de sensibiliser les gens.  Et ça ne s’arrête pas là, il n’y a pas que des marchands qui contribuent, mais nous pouvons tous le faire par plusieurs différents moyens.  Un de ces moyens est d’utiliser les médias sociaux, tel que Facebook. CIBC à pleinement exploiter ce dernier en lançant la page Facebook ‘Engagement communautaire CIBC’.  Cette page à pour but de sensibiliser les gens ainsi que de les encourager à soutenir différentes causes, dont celle de la Course à la vie CIBC au profit de la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein.  De plus, pour démontrer notre appui à la course à la vie, la page Facebook offre l’occasion de produire un cadre photo et y inscrire le nom de la personne pour qui vous courrez, télécharger sa photo puis la publier comme photo de profil.  Ce petit geste ne coûte rien, mais peut faire toute une différence dans la vie des personnes atteintes directement ou indirectement par le cancer du sein.

Pour ceux qui préfèrent contribuer directement à la cause, il est toujours possible de le faire en faisant un don à la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein.  Je vous encourage tous à donner à cette cause et d’offrir votre soutient car chaque don et chaque geste nous rapproche peu à peu à créer un avenir sans cancer du sein.

Et vous, que ferez-vous pour la cause?

Auteure: Annie Curran, Montreal