My mini me LOVES her ‘Owl’ hat from Knitwits.
If you are lucky enough to live in Toronto, Canada then you have to check out their annual Sample Sale – THIS week only! Knit-astic deals! ;)
My mini me LOVES her ‘Owl’ hat from Knitwits.
If you are lucky enough to live in Toronto, Canada then you have to check out their annual Sample Sale – THIS week only! Knit-astic deals! ;)
One of the ‘nicest’ things about the Great Recession, is that more people seem to be focusing on what they (still) have. And perhaps less on what they don’t have — be it a job, a new flat screen TV or a getaway vacay.
I have been under-employed for over a year now. It has been undeniably hard on the finances, the ego and the soul…Yet I am so lucky to have a happy, healthy toddler, a helpful hubbie, and a steady gig of ok-ish paying, freelance contracts. So to acknowledge our relative good fortune, my hubbie & I agreed to a new type of Xmas gift giving this year: we are each making a donation to a charity or cause.

Posted in cool gifts, giving back

So needless to say, I can NOT leave home without my lip protection. It’s right there along with my money, ID & granola bar.
That’s why I was so excited to stumble upon Lip Balm Labz at my neighbourhood mall. You can create & personalize your very own lip balm around different flavours & colours. Choose from yummy flavs like: Butterscotch, Chocolate Mousse or Rum.
So cool, that the idea was picked up by Springwise, the global trend spotter report.
So lip-luscious! :)
Posted in cool gifts, cool new trends, Personalized gifts
If you’re like me (even a little bit), finding cool stuff for gift-giving is a challenge at the best of times. Holiday are even harder — you have to really up the ante, right?
Well, this dreary recession still has people reluctant to spend (again, like me). This year, I am only buying REALLY unique, keepsake gifts that have sentimental or philanthropic value.
For example, my hubbie & I already decided to make a donation to charity in each other’s name. Hmmm, a goat from World Vision? The gift that keeps in milking, right?! :)
So based on the new values of “less is more”, “family matters most” and “make it memorable” — it was pretty awesome to see our personalized book, Mini Me’s Books, chosen by Oh Baby! Magazine as “Cool Stuff for the Holidays”.

It’s sentimental, memorable, promotes family bonding AND encourages your child to read. Sounds pretty timeless, no matter the economy!
Pick up your November issue of Oh Baby! Magazine at Sears, Rexall pharma or Dr’s offices across Canada.
I LOVE Halloween. Even more than Easter, and I also LOVE Easter! (hey – free candy AND dress up? That beats cute baby chicks, fluffy bunnies & choc. Easter eggs – anyday :)
So it’s pretty exciting that this is Layla’s “first” memorable Halloween. For the last 2 years she was a pumpkin (“Thanks, Uncle Jeff”) but this year she helped choose her own outfit: an adorable ladybug.
For the past 2 weeks, she has been playing dress up: she puts on her ladybug costume and antenna-hat after coming home from daycare. Then she runs and prances around the house. And for some weird reason, she also likes to put on her rain boots — I guess it seems like part of the costume?!
Anyway, I figure a lady bug costume is easier than an octopus-inspired costume (aka the characters of Mini Me’s Books).
Just imagine having to wear 4 pairs of rubber boots with an octopus costume! :)

Mini Me & her Uncle Jeff
Every kid needs a kewl uncle or aunt who horses around with them, takes them to interesting places, and of course, buys them unique and wacky stuff.
Uncle Jeff qualifies!
He has surprised his neiece (my Mini Me) with crazy electric gifts such as:
The most recent gift was equally kewl: GIANTmicrobes!

E-coli, from GIANTmicrobes
We LOVED these funny & furry lil’ beasts!
Head lice, flu germs, common cold & E.coli. Brilliant!!!
Thanks, Uncle Jeff! :)
Posted in cool gifts, family, products for kids
Scary karma.
Just 1 week after I write a (somewhat ‘witty’) post comparing the painful work of generating PR for my photo-personalized storybook to the pain of being in the ER, what happens?
My own darling daughter is admitted to ER!!!
F-E-A-R is waking up to a wheezing two-year old who is burning up with a fever; crying out in the dark.
Did I also mention that we were away from home when this happened? In a strange hotel. In Washington, DC?! (umm,…one of the violence capitals of America!).
As Canadians who happily benefit from our ‘socialist health care system’, we were extremely relieved that we had medical coverage. Even more relieved that our daughter was fine and ‘only’ had croup (aka ‘seal bark’ coughing fits). It was a scary Sunday night/Monday morning that lasted 4 hrs, involved 3 drs, 2 nurses, triage & our vomiting baby in the waiting room.
All made well by a steroid shot, a puffer & some meds. Thanks to the kind staff at George Washington Hospital.
I will never inadvertently trivialize the seriousness of being in ER again.