Mindshadows at 100 mile finds

Want a great summer read that takes you back to the eve of the first world war? I've got a book for you! The Summer Before the Storm is the first in a series of novels revolving around 3 generations of a rich family just after the turn of the century. It's full of love, betrayal, scandal and unrequited love! Now all you have to do is pull up a deck chair and get comfy.

Mindshadows is the name of the store at 100 mile finds, the book is called "The Summer Before the Storm - Book 1 The Muskoka Novels by Gabriele Wills.
I read it this past winter, it is amazing! I loved it. It is historical fiction and it is fascinating to read about how the 1st World War was seen through Canadian eyes. There are tons of references to both Toronto and the Muskoka region.
It would make a fantastic read as you lounged around on a rainy day, or on 'a way too hot to go outside' kind of day.
This book would make an amazing hostess gift when you are invited up to a cottage, especially somewhere in the Muskoka's. I just gave it to a friend and we figured out, it is set on the island just north of them. How cool is that!?

neatTreats

neatTreats is a vendor we met at one of our many craft show jaunts - although this one (located at Swansea school) was close to home.  It is so nice to place faces to names as we are primarily in the virtual world.  We were pleased to have neatTreats join us - their products are lovely and there is a design to compliment the decor of any bathroom.
neatTreats works only with goat's milk or shea butter in creating their luxurious soaps. Each individual bar is handmade with care, and unlike commercial soap contains no harsh detergents to dry out your skin.
Custom orders are my welcome - imagine working with the vendor to create your own unique design - whether it's for your home, B&B, or hospitality business.
Local pick up is available.

neatTreats at 100 Mile Finds, another unique product.

Artefacts

OK, so maybe my head is still in renovation mode, so I can't help myself from writing about Artefacts one of Ontario's premier architectural salvage businesses.  I know from experience, during the renovation process, how tempting it is to go to that big box store and pick out everything you need.  However, your house starts to look like a big box store - soon you are whipping up dinner in your orange apron.
 "Artefacts has sourced the best in architectural salvage from Canada and around the world - stained glass from the Annex in Toronto, carved gothic doors from a church in Woodstock, a wrought iron window guard from Egypt, panel shutters from Romania. For those looking to restore their old home or looking for an accent piece for a new home, Artefacts is the resource of choice".


Whether it is hardware, or a larger piece to customize a new headboard, Artefacts has unique items that makes your home your own.
 

Eco Stems

Since it's growing season and we have been talking about locally grown produce, it's also the time of year to talk about local grown flowers.  Eco Stems is a 100 Mile Finds vendor that supports local, sustainable and thinks green in many ways.

According to eco stems, the cut-flower industries in many countries "use toxic chemicals that have been banned in North America. Some of these chemicals leech off of the flowers and contaminate the subsoil and water table where they are grown, but some remains on the flowers and end up in your home. The cut-flower industry also contributes to water and soil depletion by placing unsustainable demands on the local biosphere. When the flowers are fully grown and ready to be sent to Canada for you to enjoy, they are flown. Emitting 1.48 tons of carbon dioxide and contributing to global warming.  These are a few of the reasons why Eco Stems chooses local, organic and fair trade flowers".

We can celebrate summer with the harvest of our own beautiful flowers.

Report on the Conscious Food Fest last Saturday

It is always with enthusiasm that I attend a local show/sale, but it was also with an  empty stomach that the whole family ventured out to last Saturday's Conscious Food Festival at Fort York in Toronto.
Included in the admission price were 5, $1 vouchers to purchase the sample plates being offered.  We might have had to top up our kitty a little as we wandered around.

Here's our lunch menu:

A bhudda dog with jerk sauce and peach garlic sauce.  Bhudda Dog makes fantastic, kid-friendly, guilt free hot dogs.  They are actually very adult-friendly too, which is fab.
Creamy and flavourful Fifth Town cheeses
Incredible heirloom tomato bruschetta by chef Rodney Bowers (accompanied by just a taste of Rose from Southbrook Vineyards, this was a family event)
Ying Ying's sweet and sour tofu kebabs (yummy, and I'm not a huge tofu fan)
and finished with a taste of frozen kefir from Yogalicious and a scoop of organic ice cream from Mapleton Organics.  I tried some lemon frozen yogourt and maple sugar ice cream.  Heavenly.
All of this was washed down with lemonade sweetened with Stevia.

It was a great event, and dinner was easy to prep that night - noone was very hungry.

MagZ-BagZ for Back to School

We love running into Megan from MagZ-BagZ when we are out and about at the many shows we enjoy. She is both professional and enthusiastic and we are thrilled to have her as a part of 100 Mile Finds.
MagZ-BagZ produces beautiful, functional bags for all the stuff you need to carry. According to Megan, "why should you carry this stuff using a bag that doesn't reflect your style, your personality, and ultimately your individuality - a little self expression is required in everything you do. MagZ-BagZ allow YOU to shine through".
So September is around the corner. There are some amazing sling bags that would be perfect for hauling texts back and forth to the classroom. (Of course, they are also a perfect gift for the new Mom). I know that I am a little tired of the poor quality bags I have purchased for my kids. If they last more than one school year I feel lucky, and I'm thinking that landfills full of cheap knapsacks would not be exactly pretty.
Anyway, if you're in the market, check them out.

Magic and Mud Design

 

Mish Sutherland is one of our talented jewellers.  Her eclectic designs are an expression of the artisan she is.  Shirley and I were both fascinated by the crocheted jewellery - like we see in the heart brooch. Mish is one of those artists that uses a ton of different techniques that keeps her pieces really fresh and one of a kind.


Hand- crafted, Mish is happy to work on custom orders or adjust the size or length of a piece to fit.  I think it is this involvement in the process and the connection with the artist that makes shopping locally so satisfying.
Check out her work when you get a chance - Magic and Mud Design

Kynk Naturals

When we first sought new vendors for 100 Mile Finds, one of the earliest to jump on board was Kynk Naturals.  Kynk Naturals produces hair and skin care products using non-toxic ingredients " if you cannot eat it we won't use it". 
Near and dear to my heart, Kynk Naturals want you to "love your Kynks, improve your relationship with your skin, and revolutionize your relationship with your hair. Kynk is dedicated to promoting kinky, curly, nappy, frizzy, wiry hair. Kynk provides solutions to the frustrations of tangles, breakage, toxins, and tears. We are in the business of helping people live naturally with their beauty!"
I grew up wanting hair like Cher or the doll Chatty Cathy (perhaps I am giving away my age????).  Anyway, having tried the toque method (sleeping with wet hair in a tight skull cap), I can't help but love the idea of embracing the wave, despite Jennifer Aniston.
Love that there is a new attitude and I applaud Kynk Naturals for promoting beauty in all its forms.

With products like Bum Balm, Pit Stop and Jock Chalk we know they've got the whole body covered!!

For more info, just click the link Kynk Naturals

Fusion Soap

It's almost lunch time (and you may wonder how I will segue into this blog about soaps from here) and no, I am not blogging about washing my hands, I am blogging about how beautiful and how hungry Fusion Soaps make me. 

Fusion Soaps makes beautiful, delicious looking soaps.  Coconut cream pie, or a little slice of cake with sprinkles?

Fusion Soaps makes handmade hand cut soap and body products and are located in Cambridge, Ontario.
Why use handmade soap?

According to Fusion Soap, "the naturally occurring glycerin which is a by-product of soap making has not been removed and glycerin is a humectant which means it attracts moisture to your skin.
WE control the ingredients that are put in and don’t include any harsh, artificial detergents – SLS and SLES free!!!! Only the highest quality of vegetable oils, pure essential oils and quality fragrance oils, vitamins and minerals, botanicals, and butters are used."

These soaps look so delightful - what a fun way to add some beauty to your day.

Bamboo Lily

Who can resist babies and puppies?  I always thought it would be fun to go into a business servicing either of these groups as the photo ops are endless.  Bamboo Lily has an amazing product for the youngest amongst us. 
Summer is not over - regardless of all the back to school stuff in the big box stores.  Check out this adorable robe for the littlest beach bunnies. 

Pamper your baby in a cashmere like robe that's great for baby's sensitive skin. These beach robes are perfect for cottage fun, dips in the pool and beach time too! These adorable hooded robes are monogrammed on the back with "Miso Cute" or "Peanut".

Rayon made from Bamboo fabric has a cashmere-like texture, and is so incredibly soft. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world – making it a sustainable and renewable resource. It wicks moisture from the skin; keeping baby’s delicate skin cool and dry.
The fabrics and garments are made locally, right here in Toronto. While some may argue that it is more economical to manufacture overseas, Bamboo Lily believes in supporting our local economy.

Alpaca Eugenix

At 100 mile finds our goal is to introduce local producers, artisans and manufacturers to the local  customer. We realized early on, that sourcing locally is sometimes impossible. In an effort to represent and support as many locals as possible (and to stop squabbling among ourselves!!) we developed a criteria that the artisans had to meet. When we developed the criteria for 100 Mile Finds, we felt that it was important to allow raw materials from beyond the 100 Mile limit as we are focused on the local 'transformation' of the products.  Whether that is from seed to crop or gem to jewellery, the focus is on locally made. Manufacturing locally is very important to us. We really believe the more all of us support local manufacturers, the stronger they will become and the more opportunities will become available to other artisans...

Some products are more '100 Mile' than others though. By that we mean that some of our vendors use local raw materials, or produce the raw materials themselves.
Alpaca Eugenix is as '100 Mile-y' as it gets!  This vendor is involved with raising local alpacas and produces hand-woven unisex scarves, socks, baby hoodies, booties and toques as well as duvets, pillows, and alpaca wool. You can check out their site for pictures of the alpacas and their products- real before and after shots.

Eco Flora

Another great 100 Mile Finds vendor, Eco Flora,   they feature locally grown flowers.

 

Eco Flora searches both locally and internationally for the freshest quality organic and fair trade flowers.  From May to October they buy directly from local organic farms in the GTA area." All of the containers we use are secondhand making for an eclectic selection for that special occasion."

Each design will be unique to the individual, the occasion and the flowers on hand.

Eco Flora combines the best of contemporary floral design with flowers, containers and packaging that are both ecologically sensitive and socially conscious.

Sounds like a great place to get some beautiful flowers!

Homestead House Paint Company Inc.

100 Mile Finds is all about locally made.  We are thrilled to represent companies and products that are unique and different from what you find everywhere else.  Homestead House Paint Company Inc. is Canada`s only milk paint manufacturer. 

With the nice weather outside, you can take a weekend to give a piece of furniture a new look.  One of the most exciting products most recently developed is  Milk Paint Bond. Now you can use Milk Paint on previously painted or varnished surfaces.  Want to paint your child's bedroom a new colour? Using Milk Paint you can have the peace of mind that their air is free of VOC's or chemicals.
Why not stop by your neighbour`s garage sale, pick up a fabulous treasure, and customize the look you want with some locally grown paint! Can't get much better than that!


Homestead House Paints is at 95 NiagaraStreet, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1C3 (King St W. & Bathurst)