The best resource for great local shopping!

There is amazing stuff close by – local artisans and independently owned retailers, cool things to do and eat, and great charities to support. It’s good for the economy, the environment and the soul. www.100milefinds.com

Monday, May 31, 2010

It's Growing Season!

We have several farmers, co-ops, and farmers' markets directories on the site.  And since we are in the midst of growing things in the province, I thought I'd take a minute to preview some of the innovative ideas in this field (excuse the pun).



Urban Harvest is dedicated to providing its customers with seedlings and garden supplies that promote ecological diversity and preserve the health of our planet. Their plant seeds and garden supplies are specially chosen for their unique qualities by seasoned urban gardeners. All of their seedlings are grown in or near the greater Toronto area to support our local economy.
They sell only 100% Certified Organic Seeds!  

         Shirley talked about 'Not Far from the Tree' when they tapped her maple tree for syrup.  Here's another reminder if you don't want to be mowing the apples that fall from your urban orchard.


"The core of the programming is the residential fruit-picking program, where we pick fruit from trees that would otherwise go to waste. We help fruit tree owners make use of the abundance of fruit that their trees offer by dispatching teams of volunteers to harvest it for them."
 One third goes to the fruit tree owners, another third goes to the volunteers for their labour, and the final third is distributed (by bicycle or cart) to community organizations in the neighbourhood who can make good use of the fresh fruit.

Finally, if you want to shop in the city for farmers market produce, find your nearest market through TFMN (Toronto Farmers' Market Network)

For markets across Ontario check out:

or Greenbelt Fresh

Next week I want to write about some of the interesting farmers on the site you can buy directly from.  Now is the time to talk to them about buying a share of the crop!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

LA Sugar at 100 Mile Finds

We are always excited to open the admin page of our site (command central) and see a new vendor requesting to join us.  This week I was thrilled to see LA Sugar in our inbox.  We met Cody at the Clothing Show (would highly recommend this show to our locavore fashionistas, truly inspiring!).  Shirley could not resist buying one of his adorable hoodies for her daughter, who took to wearing the 'diamond' ring zipper pull on her ring finger.  This is somewhat awkward, as the ring is still attached to the pull, but it still makes you feel glamorous when you are 9.



LA Sugar is an example of a vendor at 100 Mile Finds who does not 'manufacture' the entire product locally. To fit our criteria, we require a level of transformation to a product, although not all raw materials are sourced locally.  We have found, especially with apparel, it is difficult for vendors to source locally manufactured T-shirts etc. that suit their particular aesthetic.  We welcome any tips, suggestions of local manufacturers that we can send out to our vendors. Often they want to source locally, but cannot find what they are looking for.

Anyway - welcome LA Sugar!
http://www.100milefinds.com/LA_Sugar&check=1

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Mereadesso!

Susan and I are always looking for great local finds. I've signed up for a ton of newsletters and sometimes I stumble across something new. First it's the great product, then often, I have to research it fairly extensively to find out where it is manufactured. It can be quite a nail biting experience! There is nothing more upsetting than finding out something was manufactured in Timbuktu! It's the worst when we're at a show, we're chatting up the designer, clearly excited, and then we ask the fatal question! Then we drop them like a hot potato and move on!! Don't worry, we are very gentle, we let them down easy.

Well, one of the newsletters I subscribe to is www.savymom.ca, it is great! I highly recommend it! You can choose which city you want it to feature and it has news about everything a Mom could ever want to know about. They did a little piece on Mereadesso. This is a trio of cosmetic products that could change all our lives. As I made their store for 100 mile finds, I was getting so excited because it really is something that I want in my life. They are three products a toner, a cleanser, both  for the face and neck and a body balm. They are a one step skincare regime! ONE STEP!



As you can imagine, I am spending a pretty penny testing all the things I blog about. I don't need to actually test everything I blog about, but if I'm going to endorse something, I'm going to test it! My intention was to try the toner. The thought of using one product that takes care of the moisturizer, a toner, serum, day cream, night cream AND eye cream. It makes me feel giddy! Now all I needed to do was finish my existing product and then I would buy some toner, and Bob's your uncle!

To make a long story even longer (that's my specialty, ask my husband!!) Susan and I are at the Children's Trunk show last week and Savymom is there AND they are giving away little bottles of the Beautiful Body Balm by Mereadesso. I felt like I was trick or treating! That is a brilliant marketing tool! Brilliant! Now that I've tried the balm, I am hooked!
Beautiful Body Balm by Mereadesso is really light, which I love. It has a light citrusy minty scent to it when you put it on, but it dissipates fairly quickly so it doesn't compete with whatever fragrance you are wearing. It takes care of everything from below the neck! I highly recommend it. I wish I'd scooped a bunch of bottles from the show.
You can buy Mereadesso products from their on-line store, you can link there from their 100 mile finds store, I'm not sure if they are available anywhere else. My plan is to buy the Beautiful Body Balm right away and then as soon as I finish my expensive toner, that I love, I will buy the toner, and then when I finish up my cleanser (which I have an unreasonably large inventory of) I will get the cleanser. If the cleanser and toner are 1/2 as good as the body balm...
I head into the beautiful day, beautifully moisturized, sounds like a good start!

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Children's Trunk Show

So here's something funny. The girls told me that they had heard that in the olden days you had to go right up to the TV and turn a knob to change the channels. How crazy is that?!?! Clearly another example of not believing every crazy thing you hear on TV! When I told them that it was true my older daughter had the same look on her face as she did when I told her the Mom in the movie HairSpray was played by the same guy as in Grease. You know the look, it's that incredulous look that borders on disgusted, when they know that their poor, simple Mother has been dupped!

Susan and I went to the Children's Trunk Show on Wednesday! It was amazing! We've got a ton of new vendors to contact. Can't wait to get them on the site! When we first started doing the shows we had a no shopping policy. Well let's just say that Susan is stronger then I am!!!

I bought some great note cards from Vintage Paper Parade. Debra's stuff is amazing! I've always wanted to be that woman who gave pretty little cards to the teachers instead of a scrap of graph paper! Now I can be her!

I was able to stock up on Bella Balm! I LOVE their lip balm! It smells pretty and it doesn't leave that waxy residue that some lip balms leave. It just leaves your lips silky smooth!!! I know that sounds like a sales pitch but their lip balm is really, really good and that is saying something coming from me. I really more of a lip gloss, lipstick kinda' gal!


Name Your Tune Personalized CD's was there too, they were so busy we didn't even have a chance to say hi! LOVE IT!

All this week I've been inappropriately dressed. Not scantily clad, just a little ahead of the warm weather, no socks and just leggings! Finally today I gave in and wore socks and boots. I'm boiling!
Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

100 mile finds welcomes Precious Pink Designs!

Here at 100 mile finds we are happy to welcome Precious Pink Designs as the newest vendor to the site!

They are based out of Fresh Collective at 692 Queen St. W. and also have a studio at 96 Spadina Ave. suite 306.


Nicole Boudreau is the name behind Precious Pink Designs. Her work is beautiful!







This is a 3 strand shell bracelet made of oyster shell petals and striped circles. I might have to get me one of these! Check out her store, or head down to Fresh Collective! Wouldn't they be great on 100 mile finds. I think so too!



Tomorrow we are off to the Children's Trunk Show! I LOVE field trips! Good news, there is only a 93% chance of rain tomorrow!!!!!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Childrens Trunk Show & The Clothing Show and Sale

The Children's Trunk Show is on Wednesday this week! This is a great show. It's held in the fermenting cellar in the distillery district. Cool room in a cool neighbourhood! There are a bunch of 100 mile finds vendors there and a bunch of artisans we are hoping to add to the list! This is a great event to plan and spend the day. Hopefully Wednesday will be a nice day so we can walk around the Distillery District!


Come and see...
Bella Balm
Jonesy
Magz Bagz
Name Your Tune
Spa Sisters
Vintage Paper Parade




Starting on Friday evening it is the Clothing Show! We have a ton of vendors from 100 mile finds featured at this show and also hope to add allot more to the ranks. I've never actually been to this show before. I've heard great things, can't wait!

There are so many 100 mile finds vendors at the show I can't possibly list them. All I know is that I have not finished my clothes shopping for Spring and I can't wait to put a dent in my wallet!!


The show is at The Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place it runs from May 14-16th, this weekend. On Friday it is open from 3-9pm, Saturday 11am-6pm, and Sunday 11am-6pm. There are 300 booths featuring local stores, clothing designers, vintage clothing and jewelery! It's gonna be great!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

100 mile finds welcomes Totem bags!

Susan and I are so excited to be able to welcome Totem bags to the website! Yeah!

These amazing bags are made locally from material that is locally sourced and were headed to the landfill! LOVE IT! They use old vinyl promo banners and trunk tarps, seat belts and inner tubes. How cool is that?!

They have two styles the T3 hip city messenger bag which can be used by both men or women (or my eleven year old daughter who needs a new messenger bag and will go crazy when she sees these, AND will be the envy of all her friends!!) This bag would be great for work/school, riding your bike, over night trips, the gym, you name it. They retail for $130.

They also have the T2 which is a market bag. It's a great carry-all tote bag with an inside pocket for keys and phones and all that junk that we have to have with us! They use seatbelt wrap around straps to make sure it can carry anything and everything! They retail for $100.

You can buy the bags from their on-line store, just use the link above and head on over to their personal website or you can pick them up at various locations in Toronto, including a favorite of ours, Beadle, at 1582 Dundas Street West. Beadle is an amazing store,  I dare you to come empty handed. I'll be there at some point in the near future to show my daughter the Totems bags. Who knows what else we'll find!

It looks like it is a beautiful day out there! Get out there and enjoy it, that's my plan!
Shirl