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May is always a nice month in Canada. Trees and bulbs are blooming, while we shed extra layers of clothing and dream of the summer ahead. And of course, May is the time to celebrate Mom in a special way with Mother’s Day!

We all know Moms are special. Personally, I never realized just how special my Mom was until I became a Mom myself. Being a Mom is an all-encompassing experience, one filled with both joy & pain, pride & disappointment, happiness & frustration. And of course, many sleepless nights. On this subject, I never forgot something funny my friend Tina’s Mom told me when I was pregnant: “I have not had a good night’s sleep since my children were born!”... and they were all adults! I laughed at the time, but I can sort of understand what she meant. The worry and concern are constant. Sorry, Mom...;-)

So if anyone deserves to be spoiled at least once a year, it is surely Mom! With the help of some awesome Canadian companies, we have put together a prize-pack filled with very special Canadian-made gifts fit for a Mother. What’s in it, you ask? A whole lot of awesomeness!

1) Gorgeous SIMS jewelry set made in Alberta. Includes Crystal Cluster Attachable Pendant, Plus Matching Earrings and 18" Sterling Silver Filled Necklace. (value: over $65)

(Warning: Attachable Pendants SIMS Style are addicting as they clip to any necklace, and come in every colour to modernize any necklace in a flick)

2) Treat Mom to a well-deserved youth-restoring lift with AgeOff Face & Body Nutrition and Ageoff Wrinkle-Reduction Serum, made in Ontario by Nuvocare. Mom will look radiant AND feel great! (value: $100)

3)  Whispy Raspberry classic handbag, made in Nova Scotia by the lovely ladies of Michique. Mom will no longer be able to go anywhere without someone commenting on how gorgeous your handbag is! Trust me, I know from experience! (value: $ 284)

4) A really sweet treat from New Brunswick' famous Ganong chocolate confectioners. An assortment of chocolates and candy, not necessarily what you see below, but guaranteed to please Mom! (value: $ 50)

5) "Give your Mom something she hasn't had since you came along... A good night's sleep!" These words are from the ladies at Ontario's enVy Pillow, the anti-aging/wellness pillow. A patented ergonomic pillow designed to keep the side and back sleeper in perfect spine and airway alignment off their face.(value: $200)

Check out this hilarious "Sorry Mom" video to find out why every Mom deserves a Good Night's Sleep!

6) Pamper Mom with all-natural skincare products made with love (and fresh goat's milk!) in PEI by The Great Canadian Soap Company. An assortment of sweet-smelling luxurious scrubs, balms, creams and soaps. Yummy! (value: over $ 60)

 7) Nothing beats a new fragrance for Spring! A Canadian classic made by Fragrance Dutal in Quebec: Kimono by Simon Chang. A beautiful gift set containg an Eau de Toilette, body lotion and shower/bath gel. Pampering at it's very best! (value: $ 104)

 8) An last but definitely not least: natural health products made in B.C. by Enzed Nutricorp. How awesome does this sound: Relax-Eze (soothing & calming formula), NITE-Eze (sleep inducing formula) and Anthocin, an immune-boosting formula to keep Mom healthy. (value: $ 100)

Total value: over $ 950.00 !!!

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 what you love the most about your Mom (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!);

• Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves Moms #madeincanada;

• Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Saturday, May 12th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Mother's Day, Sunday May 13th.

Good luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: BRAD, FROM GUELPH, ON.

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members, as listed.

Canada is one of the top producers of ethical diamonds that are conflict-free. Rough diamonds, from countries like Sierra Leone and Angola, have been used to fund armed conflict and other illegal activities ; once these diamonds are cut it is impossible to trace their origins. Canadian diamonds come from the Northwest Territories  and are traced from mine to retailer; Canadian made and conflict free. This diamond solitaire ring, from Buy Canadian First member The Shopping Channel, is absolutely gorgeous! I would be satisfied to just dream of owning one.

I also adore this multi-bangle from Buy Canadian First member Prep n Pretty Boutique . It's chunky and yet looks light and easy to wear, plus, its affordability will even make me feel comfortable wearing it to work.  

Mmmm wood! I love wood pieces! My son bought me a handmade necklace when he went on vacation to Banff with his Nana and Pa Dan many moons ago and it has been one of my main pieces ever since! These beautiful, large hoop wood earrings from Canadian Etsy artisan, Jillian Driedger of In Bloom Designs , would be a perfect pairing with my necklace or perfect on their own.

My last pick is just as important as the rest and also happens to be the creation of one of my favourite people on the planet! We don't talk nearly as often as we should but she is always in my thoughts. Introducing my talented and lovely friend, Peg,g of Five Forty on Etsy. I have a couple of pieces from both her jewelry line and woven rug line and love them all! I find myself visiting these amazing orange enamel earrings  in her shop often. Perhaps I should splurge a little.  After all, it's Mother's Day!

This is the short version of my Mother's Day jewellery wish list and if all I end up with is some burnt toast and a whole truck load of hugs and smooches, I'll be a very happy mommy!

What are you wishing for on Mother's Day?

Image credits: The Shopping Channel,  Prep n Pretty Boutique, In Bloom Designs and Five Forty.

Last week I wrote about receiving some of the lush products made by Earth to Body, containing either emu oil or argan oil . I did some research and discovered that one of the alleged benefits of using emu oil is the potential for relief from arthritic pain. This past year, arthritis finally caught up with Mom, mainly in her left hand and in her legs. She is also experiencing a dry and itchy scalp, exacerbated by Winter conditions. So, I have given Mom the emu oil products to try on her joints and skin and then report back to you about. Mom, 94 years young this July,  will be our "field reporter"!

                     Earth to Body Argan Moisturizer

I have started using the argan oil products on my own Winter-distressed skin and on my wrist tattoo! (It sucks to have people ask what my tattoo is a picture of because of dry skin!). Both argan and emu oils are also supposed to be really good at reducing and fading the appearance of stretch marks and scar tissue, like tattoos or C-sections! The lip balms are great for fast touch-ups of trouble spots, believe it or not! They are in a really convenient format and they feel amazing! Read my review here.

                    Earth to Body Baby Package

If you're a new mom, you will love the Earth to Baby Organics Package, which includes the basic  necessities for both your baby and you! You get a gentle cleansing soap, a calming spray, absorbable and loving massage oil and a soothing, protecting diaper area salve. Each item is 100% natural, with no artificial preservatives (parabens), alcohol, toxins, fragrances or dyes. Healthy nutrients for baby's skin is Earth to Body's utmost priority and also multi-purpose usage is also a big factor!

                              Rose Lavender Spray

I have a sample of the spray, which is a gentle, cleansing organic hydrosol using lavendar and rose. It is a perfect diaper area spray to replace chemical baby wipes, leaving baby feeling clean, calm and comfortable and it is also ideal as a linen spray and room freshener! I use it on my face when I need perking up and I also spray it in our car and on the dogs' beds and coats, which makes me a good pet mom! Talk about an "all-purpose" product! Read my review here.

What's in the products that you use on your babies?

:: images courtesy Buy Canadian First member, Earth To Body.

Mothers, beautiful women who bring us into this world and then tirelessly spend the rest of their lives loving us. They hold many job titles that include; taxi driver, chef, nutritionalist, nurse, activities coordinator, laundry machine tech, psycologist and housekeeper to name but a few. The working mom puts in more than 96 hours a week when you combine her full-time job, mom hours, and mom overtime. Wow! That is something to think about when you are playing your vids or out on the green.

In fact Salary.com says that the average stay at home American mom should be taking home about $117, 000.00 per annum! So while most stay at home and working moms are simply being paid with love, hugs, kisses, a few whines and runny noses let her know that she is priceless with some of these great Canadian-made gift ideas. 

Gift Idea 1: Momma, we got you something monstrous!

Some moms are monster lovers, like me. They adore the quirky, the bizarre and/or the unique. Ontario-based Monster Factory is your monster centre from Andy to Wilma and Chelsea too. Package your monster in a great Monster Factory totebag and add all sorts of Monster goodies like the biggest bouquet of the biggest flowers with a monster sized card the kids made (have them decorate the front with their foot prints and once the paint is dry they can add claws and paw pads). Find a Monster Factory retailer near you.

Gift idea 2: Shhh we're hunting flowers...

If mom enjoys being outdoors and is often seen collecting flowers, this gift idea may be up her garden path. Ottawa-based Lee Valley has a ingenious microwave flower press, what would take weeks with a traditional paper and wood press takes only minutes with this product. This gift would go great with home made coupons that entitle mom to walks in meadows, slow drives down dusty gravel roads and meanderings in out of the way farmers markets all for the flower hunt. These coupons should also include some family crafternoons to create beautiful pressed flower crafts. If that isn't enough, consider adding a sun hat, sunscreen and a flower collecting basket to this great gift.  Find a Lee Valley store near you.

Gift idea 3: Just me and Indigo, lounging!

Bookworms are the cutest worms in town. If mom is a book worm consider this mommy and me book duo Alias Grace (for mom) and Bashful Bob and Doleful Dorina (for the kids) both by acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood.  Though if you are uncertain what mom wants to read, both for herself and her moppets, you can give her a gift card for Chapters.Indigo filled to the brim and an afternoon alone at their closest location.  While she is rifling though the stacks and sipping a coffee you can quickly jet over to our member Leather Craft for a stunning lounge chair so she can enjoy her books in comfort and style. There's also enough room to cuddle with her little angels there too.

Mother's day is a time to remind ourselves of all the wonders our Moms do, everyday. Your sock drawers are filled, the coffee and breakfast are ready, lunches are waiting and hugs and kisses are always available, 24/7.  Moms deserve our attention every day and we should show her by pitching in and working together to omit those 16 hours of Mom overtime!

What are you putting together for your mom this year?

Image source: Buy Canadian First

My mother, Mrs. Gibson, will be 93 this summer. Mom's birthday is July 3rd and the whole country throws a parade on July 1, which makes for a nice birthday celebration for Mom!

Mom was born in 1917 and began acquiring things soon after. So much so  that, at this stage of the game, if I so much as give my mother something that she considers will just add to the clutter, on her birthday, at Christmas, even on Mother's Day, well, I am grounded! So, I have had to come up with Gifts for the Mom Who Seriously Has Everything.

I thought that I might have a tough time finding just the right thing for my Mom. Naturally, I came here to Buy Canadian First .... first! I found many things that I knew Mom would love, and with some difficulty, narrowed it down to the four choices below.

2. The next choice was easy too. My Mom loves to keep current and on top of things. Mom's eyes aren't as good as they once were and she really DOES NOT WANT ANY MORE BOOKS! A magazine from Magazines Canada , though, is just the ticket. Once Mom has read one, she gives it to me. I read it and then use it for collages. Recycling reduces clutter and everybody is happy!

 3. One thing Mom will never say "No" to is moisturizer and at 92, you can tell that she has always taken excellent care of her skin. AROMA CRYSTAL VIBRATIONAL THERAPY body care products, by Jane Janzen, are rich, creamy and all natural, just the way Mom likes it. Plus, I like how Jane makes everything with good intentions as well as the very purest ingredients. My Mom deserves this stuff!

4. Hey, Mom still lives on her own, does her own dishes and cleans her own kitchen. I brilliantly realized that, therefore, a rather good gift would be a couple of items from the Lavender Bergamot collection from Upper Canada Soap! There are other fragrance choices but Mom likes the scent of Earl Grey. The choices include:

- Antibacterial counter spray, 500 ml
- Antibacterial liquid dish soap, 475 ml
- Hand lotion, 400 ml
- Antibacterial hand wash, 400 ml
- Intensive hand repair, 150 g