Canadian Moms Cook

Did you know Canada.. you might have noticed a new button on the side bar today - Canadian Moms Cook!

It's a brand new blog I am co-authoring with Amanda from Multi-Testing Mommy.

We are testing personal and online recipes with our real Canadian families and sharing the results with you! Check in daily for new recipes, what worked for us and probably a couple thumbs-down failures.

I posted a couple winners so far though!  Check out my No-Knead Bread and Butter Tarts!

Check us out on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest as well!

I LOVE Canada

Did you know Canada.. we wanted to remind you that Did you know Canada? has been heading to some amazing events in Toronto the past couple months. We have been to Fashion Week, the Made By Hand Show, art shows, a mompreneurer showcase, events for Pampers & Babies "R" Us, Future Shop and visited Loose Button's head office!

Every where we go we are always giving out our awesome I LOVE Canada swag thanks to Mabel's Labels. These Mabel's Labels Teeny Tags are perfect for keychains, lunch bags, back packs, camera cases, pet collars, and more!

Have you visited Mabel's website lately? I love the new tags for Mom & Dad - perfect for upcoming Mother's and Father's Day!!

Do you have a Toronto event coming up??  Contact Us today!  We would love to help promote, attend and wrap up your events!!  Keep an eye on our Toronto Events page for upcoming events.  Always be sure to stop by to say hello and grab one of our I LOVE Canada tags!!

Take back simple moments with Ivory Canada

Did you know Canada.. we have some interesting facts to share with you thanks to Ivory Canada.

Did you know that over 40 per cent of Canadians lack time in their lives to enjoy what’s most important to them? To celebrate the relaunch of the Ivory brand in Canada, they surveyed Canadians asking them which tasks make their lives the most complicated and here’s what they said:

* Financial management/budgeting (44 per cent)
* Household chores (41 per cent)
* Preparing meals (28 per cent)

Ivory Canada is encouraging Canadians to take back simple moments and enjoy what’s most important in life with the relaunch of its basic line up of soaps and body washes.

My simple moments are a bubble bath and a good book. Ivory provided the best body washes for me to try out - they can double as bubble bath too, and they are luscious and smell beautiful (have you checked out their Waterlily scent yet?). My favourite read at the moment is the Game of Thrones series, I'm on Book four - it's so good!! So is the TV Show :-)

I love that Ivory Canada is doing this, with a formula that is 99.4 per cent pure, Ivory stands for all things pure, clean and simple. Canadians can enjoy Ivory’s basic line up of bar soaps in Simply Ivory and Aloe, and body washes in Lavender, Aloe, Waterlily and Simply Ivory plus liquid hand soap in Simply Ivory. Visit their Facebook page to learn more!

We are so happy to share a fabulous giveaway with our readers as well, so you can enjoy your own simple moments.  Enter below for your chance to win 2 bottles of body wash in each scent -  Lavender, Aloe, Waterlily and Simply Ivory plus a loufa!

Giveaway

Speroway

Did you know Canada.. we have a Share & Win Contest to share with you, that is from an amazing organization.

Speroway, a Canadian chairty that in partnership with caring Canadians, responds to the needs of children and their families, in Canada and around the world, by providing food, medicine, education and other essentials with Christian love, compassion and integrity.

Their name has a beautiful meaning..

This Canadian Registered Charity is giving away an amazing prize to help us raise awareness for their cause..

* 1 – iPad HD 2012 (16GB)
* $500 WaySpa Gift Card
* Cineplex Night Out Gift Pack for 4
* 2 “Big Kaboodle” combo packs from Mabel’s Labels

With spot prizes being given away every two weeks!!

Contest Period starts at midnight on April 26th, 2012 and continues until 5:00pm on June 22nd, 2012 the “Contest Closing Date”. No purchase necessary. All times are Eastern Times. Contest open to residents of Canada (Except Quebec) who are over the age of majority.

Remember this is a Share & Win Contest, so the more you share, the more ballots you have in the draw!

While we are telling our friends and family about this awesome prize, let's make sure we get the word out about the amazing work Speroway is doing. They are feeding children - it makes me sick to think that their are little ones out there with no access to food, they are feeding babies. They have a medical team providing vitamins, medicine and life saving essentials. They run an abandoned baby centre!!

The Frances Jones Abandoned Baby Centre opened in August 2001 in response to a horrific problem. Every day, babies are abandoned in Kenya, their parents lost to epidemics, famine, violence, and poverty. Many of these babies have been abandoned because of the AIDS pandemic that has killed up to 700 people a day in Kenya. Due to these circumstances, desperately poor and sick mothers are abandoning their infants. (from speroway.com)

They are providing hope, and these children and families need hope more than anything. Please, please help support Speroway and donate if you can, there are starving babies out there.

Enter today, tell your friends and support the efforts of this Canadian Charity! Check out their new Facebook page as well.

Images courtesy of speroway.com. Disclaimer: This post has been compensated, all opinions are my own, I am only sharing the contest details with you, I am not running the contest.

I See Me

Did you know Canada.. I See Me creates personalized story books for children.

I See Me's mission is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of their books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skill.

We have been checking out their My Very Happy Birthday Book for boys and wow, just WOW, this is really cool. Fantastic colours, has my sons name on just about every page, birth date info (the cake even has the right number of candles!!) and really fun pictures, this is a keepsake and will be a favourite around here.

I am so impressed with the quality and vibrancy I See Me's books. With 20 pages in this 6x6 book, it's the perfect quiet time and bed time read and easy for early readers to handle.

My guys LOVE to see their name and this is just such a treat to not only have their name but know how old they are! Birthdays are so special to little ones, it's their big day after all, and to relieve that important milestone with this beautiful book is awesome.

What is so great about this service too, is that it doesn't matter if your name is spelled differently, or not one of the top 100 (you're talking to Stacey with an e here, who could only find Stacy on cups, toothbrushes, keychains, etc.. so I understand!!!)  You submit all the name and birth date information so you get exactly what you ask for personalized and printed for you, not just picked off a shelf.  I highly recommend checking out I See Me for their great selection of personalized books!!

Gillie Beans FUNd

Did you know Canada.. Gillian May Berthelot received her angel wings at the age of 8. Gillian passed away in June of 2010 after battling a rare cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. Gillian battled this disease for 13 months with a contagious smile, a brave spirit and zest for life.

The Gillie Beans FUNd is a volunteer based tribute fund that raises money for research into Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer that affects mostly children. All money raised goes into research at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario through the SickKids Foundation. In 2011, The Gillie Beans FUNd raised over $30,000 for Rhabdoymosarcoma research!

The Second Annual Gillie Beans FUN DAY is Saturday May 26th, 2012 - 11-3 pm at John Dryden Public School, Whitby, Ontario.

Story of the Titanic

Did you know Canada.. we LOVE to read books from DK Canada, they have the most beautiful books I have ever seen. Always filled with photos, great colours, easy to read information, it's unbelievable.

Well, you will not believe what they've come out with now - The Story of the Titanic for the iPad!!

DK Canada's Amazing New Illustrated eBooks are just to die for. We've been checking out the Story of the Titanic - you truly experience the history of the Titanic like never before.

I am a huge Titanic fan, I saw the movie so many times, have watched all the documentaries, it such a great piece of history. But this, this amazing book, provides more information than you could ever imagine, and it's exactly what people like me want to know.

You get to explore it all with a 3-D model of the Titanic, watch newsreel footage documenting the Titanic being built, the ship's launch, and relatives waiting for news of the survivors. There is a really cool magnifying option that lets you zoom right in on the action. I loved the Can You Spot? games - I think this would be the perfect learning tool for the next generation.

It takes you through how the ship was built, the voyage - how life was on the ship and then the tragic hit, and the aftermath - not only to the boat but for the passengers as well.

While I would love a hard copy of the book as well to browse and flip through when the kids steal the iPad, this is WELL worth the $4.99 and something the whole family can enjoy!

The Anti Gravity Suit

Did you know Canada.. in 1941, Dr. Wilbur Franks, of Weston, Ontario, invented the G-Suit, which allowed fighter pilots to carry out high-speed maneuvres without blacking out. Used by Allied pilots from 1942 onwards, it led to the development of modern day astronauts' suits.

(Image source: University of Toronto Archives/a1978-0041/007(35))

This picture from 1962 shows Wilbur Rounding Franks, a professor in U of T’s Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, posing with the Franks Flying Suit.

It is still the foundational design for contemporary fighter-pilot and astronaut pressure suits.

TheBicycleFactory.ca

Did you know Canada.. we mentioned last year the Canadians can help send much needed bikes to school kids in Ghana with TheBicycleFactory.ca.

This year, The Bicycle Factory is rallying Canadians in hopes of sending 5,000 bikes to students in Africa to help turn their long walks to school into short rides. While bikes are great for the environment and health, in Ghana they mean much more, and with The Bicycle Factory sending bikes to Ghana it will help kids access critical services like school, medical care and other vital life needs.

Check out this video to see the Power of Bicycles..


Join The Build Today and you could even win, there are instant prizes to be won, along with the grand prize of life changing trip to Ghana to help deliver the bikes, I can't even imagine.

Inter-Varsity #PioneerCamp

Did you know Canada.. we mentioned an amazing contest last month for Canadians, where you could win a grand prize of a trip for two to Punta Cana among many other fabulous prizes.

This month we'd love to introduce you to Pioneer Camp and another chance to win!! That's right, they also have a Share and Win contest where you can win a grand prize of a trip for two to Punta Cana, one camp session for your child and a Mabel's Labels prize pack!!

Quite honestly, I can not believe the amazing offerings these Summer Camps provide. In Ontario you have the option of an Adventure Camp for 5-10 year olds where they do archery, mountain biking, swimming, creation station (arts & crafts) and more! Also a Girl's Camp and Boy's Camp for 7-16 year olds where they canoe, kayak, take 1-5 day wilderness trips, have weekly themes, it sounds amazing! In Manitoba they have extensive wilderness activities with 5, 10, or 20 day trips out in the wilderness with other campers - this would be unbelievable, memories to last a life time. In Alberta they are focusing on horsemanship, having fun in the lake and getting amazing opportunities for exploring! At Pioneer Pacific in Thetis Island (North of Vancouver Island) they are focusing on an ocean-driven experience with whale watching, water sports and the whole camp life (how awesome would that be, I would love to sign myself up!).

Along with all this fun, they also have fantastic experiences like the LIT (Leadership-In-Training) program. It's one of the top leadership programs in the country. They provide leadership formation for young people and train them to become camp leaders, passing on what they know to younger campers.

A really great preview of the Ontario Pioneer Camp..


I can't say enough about what an amazing experience this would be for a child and hope I can send my own boys when they get a bit older. Check out these camps and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Punta Cana! Plus free camp at any one of Inter-varsity’s four Summer Camp for kids AND a Mabel’s Label’s Summer Camp Kit. You’ll also get 20% off any Inter-Varsity Pioneer Camp for new campers, plus some great deals at Mabel’s Label’s and Crossroads.

This giveaway is open to legal residents of Canada other than Quebec who are at least thirteen (13) years of age at the time of entry. The Promotion began on March 21, 2012 and ends on June 15, 2012.

Disclaimer: This post has been compensated, all opinions are my own, I am only sharing the contest details with you, I am not running the contest.

Future Shop’s digital cameras and camcorders preview event

Did you know Canada.. last week, Toronto Representative Faniya checked out Future Shop’s digital cameras and camcorders preview event!!

On April 18 I was invited to attend Future Shop’s digital cameras and camcorders media event at Sheraton Centre in Toronto.  It is always interesting to learn about innovations in digital world, especially to hear from the best brands like Canon, Samsung, Sony and others. 

As vacation season is fast approaching and you are in the search of compact camera with high quality photos, Future Shop Exclusive Nikon COOLPIX S9300 is the right choice.  It shoots at 7fps for high speed action shots and provides full 1080p video.  A bunch of special effect functions can be used for both still and movie capture. Integrating one of the latest in global positioning technology, Nikon COOLPIX S9300 includes a build-in GPS that allows you to geotag where you took a specific photo.  Night Portrait and Easy Panorama modes are also some of the camera’s enhanced features.

Another great camera for travellers, especially for families with kids is new Fuji’s FinePix XP150. It is shockproof to 2-metres, waterproof to 10 metres, including a water repellent lens, freeze proof to -10 degrees Celsius and dustproof. The camera also features a wide angle 5x Optical Zoom lens with a bright 2.7” LCD, perfect for taking brilliant pictures and 1080p HD video on sunny day or underwater.

One of the trends presented by brands at the event was Interchangeable Lens system.  The idea is that you can detach the lens from the camera and replace it with any compatible one depends on a scene you want to shoot.  These cameras are also called Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens cameras because they do not have mirror-based optical view finder, it is replaced by electronic one.  Nikon, Olympus and Sony are the leaders in this area and they assure we get incredible quality photos and videos with these digital devices.

Canon Elph 530 with built-in Wi-Fi, allows sharing images and 1080p Full HD videos from virtually anywhere. Very compact Samsung WB850F camera has a 21xoptical zoom and an in-camera GPS, with a digital compass.

Another topic I should mention is accessories that protect our expensive digital devices. They become more sophisticated and more stylish every year same as new technologies. It’s amazing that PUMA’s line of branded headphones and accessories will be carried exclusively through Future Shop in Canada. High-fashion and quality driven PUMA comes to a digital devices market with stylish camera cases, laptop sleeves, messenger bags, and iPhone, iPod and iPad cases. Exciting colours, styles and unique designs are the great additions to the new digital technology trends.

These are just some highlights of Future Shop’s digital cameras and camcorders, if you'd like some more information on this topic, you might want to check out Future Shop web site. 


Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Made By Hand Show Wrap Up

Did you know Canada.. Toronto Representative Amanda headed out to the Made By Hand Show this weekend.

This past weekend, was the Made By Hand Show in Mississauga at the International Centre. I arrived at 11am (opening time of the show) and was shocked to find that the International Centre was hopping with people and cars. Parking was limited, so after quite the adventure in the parking lot, I finally embarked on my "Made By Hand" experience.

This show was definitely right up my alley! It featured over 150 Exhibitors , all of whom had something special and unique to offer.

My girlfriend had given birth the night before, so I went into the show hoping to find a couple of things to bring with me to the hospital when I would get to meet her new daughter that afternoon. I was pleased to find a large variety of adorable baby accessories, clothing and toys. There was also soaps, jewellery, art, food and more to see! The huge variety of vendors was impressive. I could have easily spent a couple of hours walking up and down all of the beautifully displayed aisles.

The size of this show was perfect! It made for a fun mid-day outing.

I loved how the admission fee was only $2 and that all proceeds for door admissions went to Crafting for a Cure, a not-for-profit registered charity that looks for opportunities to insure children are having a positive experience when a hospital visit is necessary.

The Made By Hand Show was child friendly, although I was very happy to not have to navigate the crowds and displays with my "Mr. McGrabberson". There was even a clown who was making quite elaborate balloon hats. I was sad that I couldn't stay for Cinderella's grand entrance, but I'm sure that the children loved her! I walked out with a fun package for my girlfriend including a crocheted beaner hat from Creative Canadian Designs, a wash cloth flower from Athena's Diaper Cakes and a mini cupcake parfait from Designer Desserts. We received a foaming pump soap from Lala Soap to try out. Stay tuned for our review. Our family goes through a lot of soap so I am very excited to try some all natural foaming soap, something that is very difficult to find.

At the very end of my excursion, I was very excited to find some Canadian Themed art, a stained glass window decoration from Home Creations.

If you are crafty, enjoy looking at crafts, love to see Canadian, made by hand products, then be sure to check out the Made By Hand Fall Show on October 27, 2012 at the International Centre in Mississauga.

Amanda
Multi-Testing Mommy

Earth Day & Carebags

Did you know Canada.. it's Earth Day! Locally I know many schools, businesses and groups have held clean ups this past week. Globally people have been committing to acts of green.

Thanks to Wikipedia we know The first Canadian Earth Day was held on Thursday, September 11, 1980, and was organized by Paul D. Tinari, then a graduate student in Engineering Physics/Solar Engineering at Queen's University. Flora MacDonald, then MP for Kingston and the Islands and Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, officially opened Earth Day Week on September 6, 1980 with a ceremonial tree planting and encouraged MPs and MPPs across the country to declare a cross-Canada annual Earth Day. The principal activities taking place on the first Earth Day included educational lectures given by experts in various environmental fields, garbage and litter pick-up by students along city roads and highways as well as tree plantings to replace the trees killed by Dutch Elm Disease.

To celebrate we have a flash giveaway for Earth Day! We are giving away 1 set of Carebags and 1 set of Got it - 100% reusable bags for produce & bulk foods, that are strong, lightweight, breathable and Made in Canada! What makes these bags special? It’s not only longevity of the textile, it’s unique stretch, washability, and hundreds of uses. Nor is it simply that you can buy/wash & store produce and bulk right in the bag. Foodies send us amazing notes on straining, sieving, sprouting & stuffing. Travelers list dozens of handy tricks from brewing coffee, to packing clothes, stashing laundry & separating foreign currencies. Mom’s too love our bags for kids lunches, and toys. While fitness professionals have told us they use Carebags to keep sneakers & sweats separate, in gym totes. Still our favorite defining virtue is that Carebags are locally made within a tiny eco footprint, in Canada.


Did you know Canadians use 9-15 billion plastic shopping bags every year?  The average plastic bag is used for five minutes yet can take up to 1000 years to break down.  It's time to make the change!

I am proud to say I am making the change - I think these bags are fantastic! Easy to take with you anywhere, perfect for home use, and love that we are not only supporting Canada but also our environment.  I've used them in many crazy ways already - in the laundry, for kids toys, straining, storing food and more!  They are a lot sturdier than I thought this type of bag would be, I am very impressed with the quality, the size and can see these bags are made to last.    Available in over 300 stores across Canada, Carebags is a fantastic Canadian company to be supporting.

Enter below for your chance to win, ends midnight April 22nd!!

Giveaway

Made By Hand Show - This Weekend!

Did you know Canada.. its's finally here!! The Made By Hand Show is THIS Weekend - Saturday April 21st, at the International Centre in Mississauga.

We'll be there too! If you are one of the first 100 people to enter you will get an amazing swag bag filled with treats, including one from Did you know Canada! Our Toronto Representative, Amanda, will be there as well visiting with vendors and shoppers, if you chat with her be sure to grab one of our awesome Mabel's Labels I Love Canada teeny tags!

Here's some fast facts about the show..

* Shop with over 150 Handmade Exhibitors - click here to see the list of vendors
* Free Swag Bags for 1st 100 Shoppers
* Free face-painting, crafts and balloon animals
* Visit with Cinderella (2:00pm - 5:00pm)
* Door Prizes & raffles
* Thousands of one-of-a-kind gift ideas

Head here for maps and directions and be sure to head there right for 11am if you can so you get a swag bag!

All Door Proceeds benefit Crafting for a Cure - a not-for-profit registered charity that looks for opportunities to insure children are having a positive experience when a hospital visit is necessary.

We have been so proud to support the Made By Hand Show, am so impressed with the show manager Jacqueline who I see tirelessly supporting and promoting vendors all year long and just can't wait for this amazing show - we hope to see you there!

MOSTLY PORTRAITS

Did you know Canada.. Painter, printmaker, aphorist, journalist - Wilek Markiewicz is running an Art Exhibit at Laurier Gallery in Liberty Village, Toronto.

Wilek exhibits regularly in Toronto and in national and international juried shows. Painting, Oil Pastel and woodcut are his media. In 1972 Wilek founded The Polish Canadian Courier, the first Polish independent paper in North America and published and edited it until 1986. The paper continues its existence under changed name and ownership. He illustrated his book of original aphorisms, “Extracts of Existence”, with 43 woodcuts. Silcan House published “Okruchy Bytu” in 2004. His articles, stories and illustrations have appeared in journals and newspapers in Canada, Switzerland, Poland, Spain. His “Ethnic Press” column ran 13 years in the Toronto Sun.

His Show - MOSTLY PORTRAITS - Oil portraits on Arches paper -- and related works is at the Laurier Gallery in Liberty Village.

OPENING RECEPTION
Saturday, April 21, 2012
6-9 pm
Show continues to Monday, April 30, 2012

Hours Mon. – Fri. 11 – 5pm, Sat. 2-5pm

Laurier Gallery 113 Jefferson Ave.
Toronto M6K 3E4 (S. of King, E. of Dufferin)
416 232 0217

Twelve portraits done from life over a period of several months. Friends and acquaintances were willing to return to the artist’s studio again and again to sit in the model’s chair. The relationship between artist and model that developed as they sat facing each other emerges in these portraits.

Sometimes the sessions were quiet as the artist painted and the model sat lost in his or her own thoughts. Sometimes there was laughter and storytelling interrupted by a sudden instruction, “Now don’t move for a moment” and it was quiet again. It was amusing to see a portrait change from session to session. Was there a change in the artist or in the model that turned a gentle look in the painted eyes into a sharp intense look?

A snapshot shows one split second in the life of the subject. Each one of these portraits embodies hours in the artist/subject relationship. Now, with brushes, paints and palette back on the shelf, Wilek himself looks forward to seeing all his portraits hanging side by side, joining the rest of us who contemplate the personalities captured in these twelve portraits.

Teaching Your Kids How To Use Technology

Did you know Canada..  we have some great info to share with you about kiddos and technology.

Parents with children need to understand that a child needs to be familiar with technology in this day and age.  If you have kids, it is likely that they know almost as much as you do about the computer, like my guys - they learn quickly! It is vital that parents take the time to teach their kids about computers, smartphones, iPods, eReaders and other devices. If they don’t learn from you more than likely they will learn at school or from their friends.  Knowing how to work technology isn't the only thing a child needs to learn about it.  They need to know the tech environment, become invested in advancements and why technology is the way it is. 
One device that a child needs to learn how to use is the Dell computer.  These computers are perfect for a child to go online, type in software programs and listen to music; that's just a taste of what it is able to do.    They have desktops, laptops, gaming systems, netbooks and more.  Parents are the perfect resource for teaching your kiddos to use computers, like Dell PCs correctly, get the most out of it and how to be safe and secure while being online. 

As with many things, the best teaching method is experience.  Let your child discover things for themselves.  But at the same time it's important to instil safety measures online, for both viruses and meeting people.  Eventually it will become second nature to them. 

Children are curious and they want to learn things at a faster pace than what most parents teach. Fortunately there are so many wonderful “Apps” out there that you can download to help your kids learn. The downside to all this can be obsession and addiction though. It is important that you do work hard to help your kids understand that outdoor play and playing with friends is important to their social and emotional development.

To ensure your children’s safety with the different forms of technology, supervise the child and answer any question they may have until they have mastered it.  With supervision the child can build confidence to use the device correctly without supervision (eventually).  Their curiosity will be piqued to develop new features mentally to improve the system.  This encouragement is how technology as a whole becomes more advanced.  In addition to curiosity and confidence the child is free to be creative.  They are free to express themselves by having the device catered to their style and tastes.  This will lead to positive growth.  The one thing a child should take away from this experience is that technology serves a purpose and it should be used for that purpose only.

What a parent should not do is shield the child from technology.  In a world where a person wants to fit into society not teaching them technology will create the opposite effect.  It can damage a child's morale.  What are your thoughts on the subject?

Pampers Canada Event

Did you know Canada.. Toronto Representative Faniya headed to an awesome event this weekend put on by a household favourite around here, Pampers..

On Saturday we attended Pampers Playground event at Sherway Gardens. To celebrate the spirit of play and support Team Canada at the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games Pampers teamed up with Canadian Olympic Games Bronze medalist and new mom, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and her baby Nataliya to launch the first version of the national anthem “O Canada, Baby” performed entirely by little babies.

Now this adorable video of the little athletes is available on the Pampers Canada Facebook page and we first watched it during the event. Parents can still record their cuties and upload their videos to a website as new video versions will be appearing on the Pampers Canada Facebook page on an ongoing basis.

We were very excited to meet Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, Canadian Olympic Hurdler, who is also a busy Canadian mom balancing career and family. I was happy to give Priscilla our Mabel's Labels I LOVE Canada teeny tag as a symbol of our love and support.

The Pampers playground was a busy spot from the beginning to the end, you can see on the picture it was like a Baby Olympic Team on training: walkers, crawlers and jumpers.

We received a new Limited Edition “Go Canada Go!” Olympic Games Pampers and lovely Team Canada baby gear (Pampers Canada ceremonial prize). It was so exciting to know that “Go Canada Go!” Pampers edition offers 2x Gifts to Grow points and they can be redeemed for HBC Team Canada baby gear.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Marcelle Eye Make-up Remover

Did you know Canada.. I learned a fun fact about Marcelle, they actually have the #1 Eye Make-Up Remover Brand in Canada!!

Marcelle has been a trusted brand since 1933, catering to Canadian women’s needs since 1949, and offering hypo-allergenic and perfume-free eye make-up removing solutions for sensitive eyes ever since! Ranking as the number-one selling brand in Canada, Marcelle has recently add a new gel to its family of eye make-up removers.

I recently tried their Essentials Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes. Known as an efficient and gentle eye make-up remover, it's enriched with green tea and cucumber extract. I was so impressed with it's ability to dissolve waterproof mascara (a daily item for me). Previously when trying to clean up my face at the end of the day I ended up looking more like a raccon than anything else with big black smudges around my eyes. With the Essentials Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes from Marcelle it cleans the make-up completely away, I was so happy! It made my face feel fresh, a wonderful feeling after a long day.

All Marcelle Eye make-up removers are paraben free, perfume free and hypo-allergenic. The perfect choice for all Canadians, and a fantastic Canadian manufacturer to support, headquartered in Lachine Quebec.

Another fun Marcelle fact to leave you with, there is one Marcelle Eye Make-up Remover sold literately every minute!

For more information, visit www.marcelle.com/blog on twitter.com/MarcelleTweets and Facebook.com/Marcelle.

Burt's Bees Spring lip colours

Did you know Canada.. Spring time mean times for fresh colours right, and with Burt's Bees they have you covered. We've recently tried out their Tinted Lip Balm and Lip Shimmers.

I love their new Tinted Lip Balm as it not only has a nice hint of colour (6 different shades), but also contains moisture rich ingredients including shea butter, vitamin E, beeswax, and are 100% natural. It was also named a 2012 Best New Product from Canadian Living, and I agree! I love knowing I have this in my purse for a touch of colour an any time, and love having a product to keep my lips moist when the dry weather hits.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmers add a beautiful colour and pearlized shine that I love. You can put it on once for just a touch or layer it for a darker shade. Their natural looking colours are perfect for spring and nourish, moisturise and soothe your lips at the same time.

As always, Burt’s Bees products are free of petrochemicals and potentially harmful synthetic ingredients such as Phthalates, Parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and they are never tested on animals.

Iams Senior Plus Pet Food

Did you know Canada.. Im not sure if I have every properly introduced you to a couple of important family members around here.

(Don't worry, they are best friends, she's not actually eating her head off..lol)

First there is Bailey, our 7 year old shih-tzu that is full of attitude and queen of the house. We also have Maddie, our 1 year old Boxer/Retriever cross. Maddie is the silliest, most loving, big lug of a dog I've ever had. Being allergic to kitties (at the frustration of one of my sons who is dying for a kitty), I've always been a dog person. They are fun, entertaining, supportive, loving, loyal and pains in the butt. ;-)

We have always purchased Iams pet food for our dogs and I am so excited to share with you that Iams is launching its Senior Plus pet food – a unique formula created for pets 11+ small to medium breed and 9+ large breed. To celebrate the launch, Canadians are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/Iams under “Iams Canada” and create a pet profile for a chance for their senior pet to become the Iams Senior Plus “Pet of the Week” during the month of April - how fun is that?

It is so important to take care of the health of your senior pets, both cats and dogs. With the new Iams Senior Plus they address common senior health issues, including:

* Maintaining muscle mass
* Promoting ideal weight and body condition with a special formula that helps burn fat
* Boosting immune health to healthy adult levels with two times the antioxidants
* Maintaining healthy skin and coat health with Omega 6
* For dogs, helping to reduce tartar build up by up to 55 per cent with HMP (hexametaphosphate)

I love that Iams proactively nourishes your dog to promote 7 signs of healthy vitality.

* Healthy Bones & Joints
* Healthy Immune System
* Healthy Skin & Coat
* Healthy Weight
* Healthy Digestion
* Strong Muscles
* Healthy Heart


Be sure to visit Iams.ca for more information and remember to check out their Facebook page!

Nutrition Facts

Did you know Canada.. on March 27 I attended a webinar on Nutrition Facts. The panelists included Phyllis Tanaka from Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), Dr. Hasan Hutchison from Health Canada Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion and Sue Mah, a registered dietician and owner of Nutrition Solutions.

We learned about how Canadians make more informed food choices by using the quickest and simplest tool available - the % Daily Value found on the Nutrition Facts table.

The % Daily Value is a quick and easy way for you to know if a packaged food contains a little or a lot of a nutrient. This information will help you when choosing and deciding between products.

Check out the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign (NFEC), a collaboration of Health Canada and Food & Consumer Products of Canada.

I was sent an awesome bag of goodies filled with products that are displaying and supporting the % Daily Value found on the Nutrition Facts table. It's everyday food that you can find this information on, like fruit snacks for the kids, taco kits, breakfast shakes, yogurt, peanut butter cups and cereal.

I also received an awesome pack of coupons and wanted to share some of them with readers! Enter below for your chance to win a great pack of coupons for products that support the % Daily Value found on the Nutrition Facts table and we'll include one of our Mabel's Labels I LOVE Canada teeny tags as well!

Giveaway

Group Of Five, Four Alive art exhibition

Did you know Canada.. Toronto Representative Faniya went to the Group Of Five, Four Alive art exhibition, see how it went..

Last week I had an opportunity to view the art works of Group Of Five, Four Alive, the Group of five unique and talented artists who presented their first ever group art exhibition at the ARTA Gallery in Toronto’s Distillery District.

The exhibition featured works of four contemporary Toronto artists Paul Garbett, Richard Brightling, George Argyropoulos, Elizabeth Hardinge and deceased artist Vince De Vita.

Paul Garbett’s artworks are inspired by nature and human nature, calling attention to the things what we usually do not see or do not want to see because we take them for granted and easily leave behind. Beautiful landscapes, forests, animals, people – beauty of everyday life.

Absolutely amazing industrial style of Richard Brightling who utilizes discarded wood and transforms it into beautiful works of art. From one side I found his works practical, down to earth creative pieces but from other side I feel like trees are talking to viewers about their life, where they came from, forests and wild life they left, people they saw and hands that touched them.

If you look at the George Argyropoulos paintings you can feel a movement in every work, there is no way to stop, people on the pictures are looking at you and they are ready to communicate. Bright colors give you resources to act.

Elizabeth Hardinge creates colourful and full of energy artworks, that take you on a journey to abstracts, real markets or just simple moments . The paintings are asking viewers to pause for a moment, enjoy it and take that feeling with you. I realized that I almost forgot the meanings of dull, unhappy and boring, everything turned to shiny, cheerful and happy.

Another talented artist Vince De Vita was an American who spent most of his creative life in Canada. He worked during the 1930’s and painted a number of works for the Canadian Government to promote the attractions of Canada. He also commissioned some members of The Group of Seven and many other local artists. His works filled with colors, life and energy.

Incredible story of De Vita’s paintings which were discovered in the attic of a Rosedale residence in the 90’s and then restored by Richard Brightling. To see them on display after 70 years with other passionate artworks was an unforgettable experience, this unique collaboration of past and present.

The exhibition will continue at the ARTA Gallery till April 17, 2012, for more information please visit http://www.artagallery.ca/exhibition/

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready