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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.

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

Cut!... as they say in the movies! The 2011 edition of TIFF  is over now, and it was a resounding success yet again. What a great way to showcase Toronto, and Canada as a whole. This year, much focus was put on the Made in Canada brand, to our absolute delight! Check-out our previous posts about our involvement in the event, as well as the great contest we ran during the festival.

Canadian-extraordinaire Georges Stroumboulopoulos (a.k.a. Strombo) went all out and created an awesome gifting lounge highlighting some of the best Canada has to offer. From Montreal Canadiens' jerseys to Motts Clamato juice, there was plenty to be proud of!

And of course, there was Myriad Pictures' party and their swag bags filled with Canadian-made products donated by great Canadian companies with the help of Buy Canadian First! And guess what? The studio's Edwin Boyd was awarded Best Canadian Feature Film! Congrats Myriad Pictures!

And while we're celebrating, congratulations to the 5 lucky winners of our swag bag giveaway! Here's what is inside each bag, valued at well over $400 each!

                     Customized socks by Reliable Hosiery

                   Shampoo & conditioner from Natureclean

              Fashion accessories from Funky Fleece

                    Welch's juice bars from Kisko

                  Chocolate-covered fruit from Brookside Foods

           Gardener's dream cream from Aroma Crystal

                 Nite-Eze & Relax-Exe from Enzed Nutricorp

                   Decal & keychain from Strong & Free

          I.C.E. tags from In Case of Emergency

             Kids wall decor from Felt Fantasia

           Snack-size Vanilla chai soy beverage from So Nice

             Special Edition scarf from Lundstrom

Voucher for free natural memory foam pillow from Essentia

               Travel-size tissues from Royale Ultra

          Special Edition mini-notebook from Ecojot

            Mini multi-bit screwdriver from Picquic

        Our Canada magazine from Readers Digest Canada

           All-natural detergent from Live for Tomorrow

       Adult Essential vitamins from Life Science Nutritionals

         Promotional info from Show Me Your Canada

The 5 lucky winners have been contacted and their prizes are on their way. Congrats to: Gary from Calgary (AB), Theresa from Amherstburg (ON), Kelly from Hornby (ON), Debbie from Hamilton (ON) and Michelle from Toronto (ON). Here's what Michelle had to say about her prize:

" So, I got my fantastic package last week, so I have tried and tested it all : )

I must say I'm really impressed with everything! the Brookeside Chocolate was oh so yummy (Acai berry was my fav) . The Adult Essentials are awesome! The *Ice tags are very handy! and the roll up the rim key chair, I never knew existed, I laughed when I seen it, now I cant wait for Roll up the rim time. the scarf was beautiful! and the aroma hand lotion smells amazing and works really well!!!! Love Funky fleece, will def. order from them, so many cute things, especially for my step daughter. Love the nature clean shampoo and conditioner!!! Must say all and all my fav. thing was the "strong and free" I love being canadian and I'm proud to represent!

I can honestly say I would by more Canadian made products, but I find them hard to find, I guess that's because not a lot of Canadian made products are advertised etc. I will def. be doing research to find more products.

Thanks again to all the awesome Canadian companies above who donated their products for this event!

See you again next year, for more fun at TIFF!

Images courtesy of Isabelle Remy.

In case you missed it, Buy Canadian First was asked to provide products Made in Canada to fill swag bags for a TIFF event taking place last Friday. Read more about it here.

We’ve been working on the TIFF event for over 2 months now, and I cannot believe it’s over already! What a crazy 48 hours that was! I arrived in Toronto on Thursday night, and headed out for drinks with Denise and Patricia of Strong & Free. Really amazing ladies; fun, passionate and proud Canadians.  Such great company! 

By the time I got to my hotel, I was exhausted and starving. I was staying at the Canadian-owned Delta Chelsea, which I found out is the largest hotel in Canada. My room was on the 20th floor with great city views. One of my favourite parts of travelling is room service, so I ordered a turkey sandwich and a glass of wine. Imagine my surprise when the tray came and included was a welcome platter of Canadian-made treats: Canada True Icewine Tea and Maple Almonds, along with a bottle of ice cold Eska natural spring water. Now that is hospitality with a capital H! Thanks so much, Delta Chelsea!

And now for the best part: the party! The event was taking place at the brand new TIFF Bell Lightbox. What a beautiful, airy, modern yet warm & welcoming building. Entire walls are constructed of glass, and the use of funky colours such as red and purple play off beautifully against the white backdrop. Breathtaking. I arrived a few minutes before the start of the event, and was happy to see our beautiful gift bags on display.

A few Toronto-area manufacturers were present, as well as the awesome girls from Show Me Your Canada. It was so special to meet & mingle with an amazing group of women dedicated to encouraging and supporting each other’s projects and businesses. I loved it!

The room quickly filled up and we had the opportunity to meet some awesome industry insiders .  The film industry is completely new to me, so it was nice to learn more about it and to hear how proud everyone was about this new and truly Canadian endeavour: Cross Country Entertainment. We made some GREAT connections and I can't wait to let you know what comes out of it in the next few months...stay tuned!

At the end of the event, I was so proud to see guests leave with one of the fabulous swag bags, knowing that is was filled with great, Canadian-made products graciously donated by awesome Canadian companies.  Thanks everyone for participating, and let’s do it again next year! 

Meanwhile, don’t forget that we are giving away 5 of those swag bags! For details and to enter, click here. But hurry, closing date is September 18th at 5:00 PM (ET)!

As far as celebrity sightings are concerned, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Canadian-cutie Scott Speedman . I have loved him ever since the days of "Felicity"  in the 1990s, and I'm happy to report that he is aging VERY gracefully! ;-) Next year, I'll make sure I spend more time in the city to truly enjoy all the Festival has to offer! But what a great first experience! Thanks to everyone who made it possible...you know who you are!

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

Images courtesy of Myriad Pictures and Isabelle Remy.

Sure, we know that the Toronto International Film Festival is all about films! But don't pretend that you aren't interested in the red carpet fashions, even if it's just a little bit. Made in Canada  designs were well represented this year, as always, at TIFF.  Canadian designer Erdem dressed Keira Knightley for the after party of A Dangerous Method, held at the Grey Goose Soho House in Toronto. Her spectacular, multi-coloured dress is gorgeous!

Designer Erdem Moralioglu is loved by movie stars, political wives like Mmichelle Obama and royals, such as the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate wore a midnight blue Erdem for her first trip to Canada this past Summer. (By the way, the dress is from Erdem's Resort Collections, and hits stores like The Room at The Bay in November).

The TIFF sketchbook, by Raylene Knutson, made me laugh. The clever drawings, depicting what Madonna would look like if she wore some Canadian designers, is a great mini-intro to who's who on the Canadian fashion scene!  The Canadian designers suggested were Mikhael Kale, DSquared, Erdem, Pink Tartan and Jeremy Laing.

Another Canadian designer at TIFF  was ecocessories. This is a line of eco-friendly, designer jewellery that is handcrafted by Canadian, Jessica Hill. TIFFers had the opportunity to see and wear this unique concept jewellery, where old, broken and unwanted pieces are recycled into new, high quality, one of a kind treasures. The really cool thing about this designer is that you can bring your old jewellery in and have it completely redesigned with wire wrapped sterling silver components and chain! I have seen Jessica's jewellery and it really is lovely and eye-catching.

Buy Canadian First members Lundstrom  and Canada Goose  were also at TIFF. According to Canada Goose, they have "developed a special talent for protecting celebrities, directors and cameramen from the elements on movie sets around the world"! 

It's wonderful to see our talented Canadian designers showcasing their creations at annual events such as TIFF, where the whole world is watching. We are very pleased to have participated with our members at TIFF this year, by providing samples of their wares in swag bags! Have a look at what Isabelle has written about her adventures at TIFF ! 

What Canadian designed clothes or jewellery do you like? 

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members and ecocessories .

September is here at last, bringing with it the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Did you know this festival is now the second largest in the world, after Cannes? Growing every year, this Made in Canada event attracts a myriad of Hollywood celebrities and industry giants. For 10 days each September, all eyes are on Canada! We LOVE that!

This year, Buy Canadian First is very proud to be a part of this great festival, through our supply of swag bags filled with products Made-in-Canada for one of the parties taking place at the beautiful Bell Lightbox. The event is organized by Myriad Pictures to celebrate the launch of their new Canadian distribution company:  Cross Country Entertainment. The party will be attended by American and Canadian media and industry executives, as well as international screen stars. The invite list includes, amongst others, Katie Holmes, Canadian cutie Jay Baruchel,  Stanley Tucci (loved him in Julie & Julia!), Malin Ackerman, etc.

Our gift bags, filled with great Canadian-made products, will be given out to the attendees. How exciting! But even more exciting: you could win your very own swag bag! We are giving away 5 of those beauties to 5 lucky winners! To enter, read on!

So what's in there, you ask? Here's a sneak peak at the companies who's great Canadian-made products will be in the bags...

We'll be attending the party and we'll be joined by the girls of Show Me Your Canada. It will be a blast! Stay tuned for updates & photos!

To enter the giveaway, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

• Leave us a comment below telling us who your favourite Canadian actor or actress is;
• Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves@TIFF_NET  #madeincanada;
• Like us on Facebook and write on our Wall who your favourite Canadian actor or actress is.

The giveaway ends on Sunday, September 18th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick 5 names at random from all entries and the winners will be announced on Monday, September 19th.

Good luck!

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

Welcome to the year 4708!!

February 3rd, 2011 marks the new year in the Chinese calender, ringing in the year of the Rabbit.  The Rabbit represents the fourth year in the 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.  Like the houses of the zodiac in Western astrology, the animals of Chinese astrology are thought to describe the personality traits, and possibly, even impact of the world events in any year they rule. Those born in the year of the rabbit, as well as any of the other signs compatible with the rabbit, will likely have good fortune throughout the year. The year of the rabbit will be much calmer than the rough tumble of 2010's year of the tiger.

My mom loves the Chinese new year. Every year she mails a card with the Canada Post Chinese new year stamp and eventually ends up at my home with 2 bags of Chinese take out, little gifts, sparkling loonies in pretty red and gold envelopes and red candles to light up the dinner table. Last year was the year of the Tiger, my year, I still have my little tiger figurines and my red envelopes with a shiny loonie hiding inside. I will keep my day free  and set the table in wait for my mom to enter in a big red gust of good luck.

To prepare for the Chinese new year:

 * Cleaning the House - The Chinese consider it important to give the house a complete cleaning to sweep away the bad luck that may have gathered throughout the year. The rabbit year brings us back to the home and family. The Ecoholic Home from Chapters.Indigo may be just the book needed to clean house for the new year.

 * Decorate your windows panes and doors in red as red is believed to be a lucky colour. You and the kids, with some scissors and a littlle imagination, can make decorations with papercuttings, an ancient tradition.

*Take a few days off from house work - good luck needs to settle in. If you sweep too soon you may sweep away your good luck.

*Give out money packets made up of red envelopes with gold symbols and lucky coins inside.

*Serve festive foods - during the New Year's season there are foods that symbolize abundance and good fortune. Special dishes are prepared and often tangerines and oranges are given to children and guests as they represent wealth and good fortune.

•The Tray of Togetherness - A circular tray with eight compartments that is filled with symbolic foods that represent a sweet start to the new year.

Maybe this year I will surprise my mom with a tray of togetherness and fill it with special foods to symbolize and celebrate our sweet beginnings with the year of the rabbit. How does the rest of Canada celebrate and recognize the new year? The Royal Canadian Mint has a collection for the New Year, as does Canada Post and HGTV Canada can help plan your celebration! Do you celebrate the Chinese New Year?

 Photo credits: Chapters.Indigo, Chinese paper cut art, Canada Post

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official start of the Winter season. Tomorrow, the days will start to get longer again, as we head towards Spring, which is only 12 weeks away! What is really exciting about this Winter Solstice is that there is a also a Full Moon! But wait! There is also a Lunar Eclipse!  The last time that these three things occurred simultaneously was 372 years ago!

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

By the time you read this, the lunar eclipse will have already occurred, but you can watch it happening on the video!

It's hard to imagine that, at one time, the sky was the only clock or calendar or map available. You had to really know how to read and understand the sky, if you wanted to go anywhere and find your way back, if you wanted to plant seeds that would have a chance to grow into food, or even if you just wanted to be safe from the elements.

My mom is always saying that, if she listened to the weatherperson, she would never wear the right coat. "Look out the window!" is my advice! Spectacular events like lunar eclipses get many of us looking up, but there are things going on in the sky all the time that deserve our attention. Amateur astronomy is a wonderful hobby for anyone and a great way to reconnect with Nature. Some good binoculars and a dedicated magazine, like SkyNews, can make a huge difference in your understanding and appreciation of the sky.
 

 

SkyNews, The Canadian Magazine of Astronomy and Stargazing, is among the best publications for novice stargazers and astrophotographers anywhere. Written in an easy-to-understand style by astronomy experts and edited by popular astronomy author Terence Dickinson, each full-colour issue carries amazing photos, columns, equipment reviews, how-to articles and the world's finest star charts (designed for night-sky viewing from Canada). It was named Best New Magazine in Canada in 1996.

We are so lucky to have an actual observatory near to where we live and no doubt there is somewhere similar close enough to you to visit. Tickets to an observatory, a telescope or binoculars, a subscription to a magazine such as SkyNews, would all make awesome gifts, for Christmas or birthdays, to an adult or a child! Throw in some of those glow-in-the-dark stars that you can buy and stick on the ceiling of your bedroom to look at when the lights go out and you have yourself a fantastic gift to give or keep!

A very happy Winter Solstice to you! Keep looking up! It's almost Spring!

Do you have binoculars?

:: images courtesy of  Magazines Canada, and CaptMondo.

This September, I am taking part, proudly, in Culture Days! Under a tent on one of our main streets, yours truly will be showing anyone and everyone the pleasures of crafting with recyclables! The street will be closed off and there will be a touch of Mardi Gras in the air!

If you haven't heard of Culture Days yet, don't be surprised. It's new! Modeled on Quebec’s 13-year old annual Journées de la culture event, Culture Days have become, in 2010, a "collaborative pan-Canadian volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities".

This Fall, Culture Days will feature thousands of free, hands-on activities  ... across Canada!  Everything from painting, puppet making, trash to treasure crafts and dance performances to museum display set-up and architectural tours of the neighbourhood, will be on hand to try. These activities will encourage the public to participate "behind the scenes" & discover who the artists are in their local communities and what they really do. 

Culture Days is a collaborative movement that relies on you and me. You can take part as a citizen, as a business person, as a cultural professional, on behalf of an organization, or in any other way you can imagine! You don't have to be an artist! Visit the Culture Days website to find out what is happening in your area and how you can be involved. For a start, you can print off posters and pictures for your website. Then invite your friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun! Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!

This unique celebration takes place September 24 to 26 in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec (under the existing event Journées de la culture), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador; and September 17 to 19 in Alberta (under the existing event Alberta Arts Days). Dates for Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon will be announced shortly.

Culture Days are coming! Spread the word! What would you like to experience during Culture Days in your neck of the woods?