Back to School.....

Dare we start?  I personally prefer to hang on to every last moment of the freedom.  Our kids are old enough to fend for themselves a bit more, so there really is liberation without the routine.  Alas, the days pass, and September is in the headlights.  Thought we would try to tempt you with a little local shopping if you are in the mood before labour day.

Kid Culture is a kids shop dedicated to selling fun stuff for kids of all ages. "Our goal is to give children and parents a store they can love. With everything made locally, we try our best to carry products that are well constructed with the best materials organic cotton, bamboo, and re-purposed fabrics".  
And while you are in the Junction, your older kids (or you) may enjoy the fashions from Trap Door and The Black Daffodil, both of which feature local designers.
Lets face it - this is the fun shopping.  Lets leave pencils and notebooks to the last minute.

The Dog Days of Summer

This edition of the 100 Mile Finds blog is dedicated to all our furry friends.  We got a dog a couple of years ago, and I have to say at times I would rather sleep in than take her for the morning outing that she is accustomed to.  However, that fully body wag greeting at the door makes up for the occasional lack of shut-eye.

Toronto hosts an event in the spring called Woofstock (love that handle) and it is filled with local and artisanal products for our friends.  It is held at St. Lawrence Market - pooches welcome.  If you missed it this year, keep it in mind for 2014.  It is lots of fun.  The sponsor is Barnsdale Farms, a local manufacturer.  100 Mile Finds own Barkn up the Green Tree  makes dog treats that are all natural, free of preservatives, gluten, dyes, fillers, and needlessly added sugar and salt.  Another Woofstock sponsor is dogsdogsdogs - for all the info you could possibly need to keep your four legged friend happy. 
Finally, since it is the dog days, take the pup for a swim.  Here's a link to an off leash dog park blog that features some with swimming spots.  Happy Dog Days!

Local Skin Care

I had a bar of Soap Utopia Naturals soap in my powder room, and it is kind of surprising how lovely it fills this small room with a natural scent.  Not overpowering like canned air fresheners or the decal you hang from the rear-view mirror.  For a small price, it really has brought me a lot of satisfaction.  I notice it every time I am in there.  What a perfect cottage hostess gift!

100 Mile finds has lots to choose from if you  are looking for gentle, natural skin care.  Batty's Bath has a wide selection of products from soaps and cleansers to an Acne Starter kit - all natural with non-irritating ingredients.  This gentle cleanser is perfect for cleansing extremely sensitive skin.

And finally, lots of us are sensitive to scent.  Beaulance Natural Skin Care has an excellent unscented lotion to soothe summer skin.  Check out these products and more on 100 Mile Finds.

The Harvest is Here

Have you had any local strawberries yet??  They taste SO good.  And that colour - you can only get it if they are picked ripe (therefore not shipped too far).  We have a tendency to go a little crazy with seasonal stuff in our house. I think the kids were sort of glad when the asparagus season ended, although I still fondly miss it.  We never get enough strawberries though.  I like them as part of a savoury salad as well as for dessert, and breakfast.   However you enjoy them, go grab some today and enjoy, cuz they won't last long.

Just FYI here are a couple of good sites to find all the locally grown food you could want this Harvest Ontario is the largest and most comprehensive source for local including on-farm markets, pick-your-own, farmers' markets, farmgate honey producers, local meats, wineries, craft breweries, fairs and much more. 
growing season. 
And Pick your Own.org has an at-a-glance page to find local farms to visit and harvest yourself for lots of fresh things (including strawberries).

School's Out (soon)

Ahh, the beginning of summer.  I can still remember the eager anticipation of long summer days when I was a kid.  At the end of June, September was a world away.  Most of us don't have the luxury of the whole summer off, but I still think that our school day habits are ingrained and those months are a little more relaxing.
So even if you don't have tons of time off this summer, think about taking advantage of some day trips and shorter jaunts to Ontario destinations.  One of my favourite sites is Travel and Recreation Ontario
http://www.ontario.ca/travel-and-recreation/travel-and-recreation

You can find Events, Parks and Outdoor Activities.  Think about a jaunt to a beach outside of Toronto for the day.  We enjoyed Cobourg, which is also accessible by train, and has a great ice cream spot near the beach.  And of course, Wasaga and Sauble are our own version of Caribbean sands.
Another site is Ontario Travel which features a downloadable summer magazine with 250 ideas, including lots of great Ontario Beaches.
http://www.ontariotravel.net
So enjoy this longest day of the year, and get out and appreciate this amazing province.

Heirlooms Artisan Market

Heirlooms Artisan Market promises a perfect afternoon strolling through the picturesque greenhouses of Vermeer’s Garden Centre. 

Quality and craftsmanship are guaranteed from our carefully selected group of outstanding artisans. We know that everyone will find a special something from our wide range of craftspeople. Everything from fine art to knitwear, pottery, woodworking, leather and jewelry can be found over our two days of family fun. 

Join us on Friday June 14th from 10am-8pm and 15th from 10am-6pm for a day of arts, crafts and gourmet food. Located at 684 South Pelham Road, Welland. 

You might remember us from our past event, First Sunday Stroll, that took place in Harold Black Park last June or from our monthly market in 2011 called Brocante Lux. All fantastic venues for our wonderful talent. This event promises the best from our years of hard work and dedication to our love of finely crafted arts. 

Volunteers from Pelham Cares will be ready to greet you at the entrance to accept donations to their charity and ballots for our draw. Get there early on Friday and bring a Toonie or a non-perishable canned good for swag bags, while they last! 

First prize for our draw is two outstanding glicee prints from Patricia Haftar with many secondary draws to follow. 

Bring your family and enjoy free children’s crafts provided by Creative Bug on Saturday while enjoying a sampling from our gourmet food vendors. Get your photo snapped with ShutterBrugs to remember the day and don’t forget to pick up anything you might need for your garden - we are at Vermeer’s of course!

See you soon! 

Summertime - and the crafting is easy!!

Here are a couple of fun and crafty options from west end vendors coming soon.  Mary from Wisedaughters has a solid month of Crafting options;

June Workshops
Our formal workshops for adults wrap for the summer at the end of June. Join us for:
Travel journals June 6
Art journals June 13
Granny squares June 20
Knit/felted bags June 27

Summer Craft Camp , Ages 10+ - July 22 – 26, 1 – 4 daily

Grown-Up Craft Camp - July 15 – 19, 1 – 4 daily

Summer Saturdays
Join us outside under the tent (inside if it rains) to meet a local artist and make something!  All ages, drop by 10 – 5.  Cost: $1 - $5 per craft (to cover supplies)

June 1      People Power Press – DIY buttons
June 8      Creations Diana – beaded lizards
June 15    Sara MacHin – mixed media collage
June 22    Megan Goos – silly monsters
June 29    Marina Wilson – fun with duct tape

Details at www.wisedaughters.com

And if those don't fit the bill,

KID CULTURE CREATES WORK SHOPS FOR ADULTS FUN WITH TEA TOWELS
 Saturday June 15th  1 pm-4 pm
Cost $60.00
  
KID CULTURE CREATES FOR ADULTS MAKING AN UP CYCLED DRESS
Saturday June 8th 1pm -4pm
Cost $60.00
  
WORK SHOPS FOR ADULTS MAKING AN UP CYCLED SHIRT     
                                      Wednesday June 12th 6;:30-8:30
Cost $60
http://kidcultureboutique.blogspot.ca/

Have Fun!!