While at the Art Gallery of Hamilton last weekend, I happened across these really cool purses made with pop can tabs. Aren't they brilliant? At a price of $140 though, I think I'll pass.

Please feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday posts below and enjoy what's left of November!

Yesterday, my kids and I met up with some friends in Hamilton. Since the Art Gallery of Hamilton offers Family Fun Days on the last Sunday of each month, my friend suggested we head there for our playdate to enjoy some art-making activities with the kids. It's great because pre-registration is not required and non-members have to pay only $5 per family. Fortunately, they waived the cost (I'm not sure why) and the kids had lots of fun creating their own paintings. The activities run from 1:30 to 3:30 but they also had a children's performer on stage starting at 3, for no additional cost. Score!


The show was put on by a children's education and world entertainment company called Mystic Drumz. The sole performer was the company's founder Lorne Lampert who holds a degree in education. Let me tell you, this guy was so witty and funny, I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. He has an incredible knack for telling stories that engage the imagination and introduce percussion instruments from all over the world to children who hang on to his every word. So as we sat there and listened to The Legend of Marshmallow Island, I kept thinking, "Man, this guy would be great to have at a kid's birthday party!" And sure enough, he's available for birthday parties. I don't usually throw big parties for the kids but I think I might this year. Lorne would put on a great show, I'm sure. I tell ya, he's good at what he does. He really is!


Of all the unusual and cool instruments he shared, my favourite was the gong. Who knew it could make a sound so loud that it was almost deafening? The kids loved it, too. At one point during the story, he invited a child up to the stage and transformed him into an alien with the help of güiro. It was brilliant!


On the way out, we decided to stop by the shop and saw some really unique and handmade items. What caught my eye was a really cool looking purse made with pop can tabs. It also came with a not so cool price tag of $140. I was also drawn to some adorable organic storage bins and caddies by 3 Sprouts. Little did I know that the company belongs to my friend's friend, who I haven't seen in years because she's been working all over in the fashion industry. I'm so glad to see her cute baby and children's items on store shelves!


If you live in or near Hamilton, the Art Gallery has additional Family Fun Days planned on the following dates from 1:30-3:30pm:

2011 - December 27, 28, 29, 30,
2012 - January 3, 4, 5, 6

For more information on Mystic Drumz, visit MysticDrumz.com.

Do you have a creative builder to shop for this holiday season? If they love MEGA Bloks and construction vehicles, then you've got the perfect 2-in-1 gift with the new Blok Squad Construction Site complete with a 4x4 truck, track loader and road roller. This 395-piece set includes 3 Blok Squad construction workers, pylons and more.

The Blok Squad Construction Site is ideal for children ages 5 and up but I couldn't wait to put the vehicles together for my three-year-old son. He is fascinated by pretty much anything that can move. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the vacuum cleaner. Will work on that later. With the number of tiny pieces that came in the box, I wouldn't have previously let him play with them but he is now well past the stage of putting toys in his mouth. Obviously, he cannot follow the instructions but the manual included easy-to-read illustrations in full colour. And I'm always up for a good puzzle or two. By the time I got to the third vehicle, however...


In all honesty, I really enjoyed putting the construction vehicles together. I just wish my son had been a little more patient while I put it together. My daughter, who is 6, offered to help but gave up rather quickly. But I didn't mind in the least. I first tackled the 4x4 with wagon. Here is what it looks like partially complete:


I then moved onto the remaining 200+ pieces and built the track loader, which was a little bit more complicated.



Finally, I built the road roller while my son continued to play with the other two vehicles. During this time, I had to repair the truck and track loader because my son likes to play a little rough with his toy vehicles. It's no wonder this set is recommended for kids age 5 and older. But still, he played on.


While my son loved playing with this set, I decided to put it away until he was older. He ended up breaking one of the curved pieces near one of the wheels on the truck. Oops! Mommy learned her lesson. He won't be five for another year and a half so this Blok Squad set will seem brand new to him by then. Right?

Also new to the Blok Squad scene is a Fire Patrol SUV, a Police Force Chopper and a Police Force Pursuit set that comes with a police boat, police cruiser SUV and a police force carrier. They will most certainly keep kids busily entertained for hours on end.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Earlier this week, I shared with you an eco-friendly gift idea that is perfect for kids between the ages of 3 and 6. The Cardboard Playhouse by Boutique Cascades has been such a huge hit in our family and we had such fun turning it into a life size gingerbread house. In tune with the spirit of an eco-responsible holiday season, Boutique Cascades brings you Christmas Trees in Recycled Cardboard.

Made from 100% recycled cardboard, the selection of Christmas trees by Cascades are elegant and can be decorated in endless ways. They are available in four models to suit your individual space and style. My favourite is definitely the Classico in white.

Classico $33

Massimo $99

Piccolo $24

Moderno $37

If you're in the market for a Christmas tree, why not save some real trees and support sustainable development with a recycled cardboard tree? And did I forget to mention they're made in Canada? Yup, they are! And just think how much the kids would love to decorate their own tree. Luckily for you, Boutique Cascades has generously offered to ship out either a Moderno, Classico or Piccolo tree to one of my US or Canadian readers. Please enter this giveaway using the Raffletcopter form below.

For my sister-in-law's baby shower, I decided to make a diaper cake. Being pressed for time and having mistakenly bought a small pack of diapers, I kept it as a two-tier with a stuffed animal on top that I had bought at Hallmark. I used my Cricut to cut out the sentiment and made a small card to attach to the black and white gift back with pink bow that I also found at Hallmark. I had a larger one kind of like it from when Madeleine was a baby which I used for the larger gifts. I wish I had taken a better picture of the diaper cake.



Mine paled in comparison to the 6-tier diaper cake that someone else had made. Something to aspire towards, right?


Feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday post using the thumbnail linky below.

This year, our school will be putting on a Christmas concert. Each class from Junior Kindergarten to grade 4 has been invited to perform a song and of course, I would love to include some performances in French. A number of years ago, I found a site that I still use to this day. They have since improved the design, and I'm proud to say that it is a Canadian site. It contains a number of wonderful holiday songs performed by students from ages 6-12 in the Draveurs School Board choir based in Gatineau, Québec. Their new site is called Noël en chansons.



The reason I love this site is because it contains over 24 songs on their Calendrier d'Avent and even more on Le Train de Noël. You can listen to each song as performed by the choir but the added bonus is that it comes with a karaoke-style video for students to follow along. You can set up your Smartboard for the whole class to follow along. The images are also quite cute. The little ones love it! One of my favourite Christmas songs that I discovered on this site is Noël Jazz. I've taught it from Grade 1-3 and I hope to have a class perform it this year. It really is a lot of fun!


You can still find classic holiday tunes such as the French version for O, Christmas Tree!, Joy to the World, Winter Wonderland, Silent Night and more. If you're not familiar with La tourtière by Lionel Daunais, I suggest you check that one. It has some really fun and silly lyrics and references to typical dishes from all over the world. Portugal is known for sardines and Toronto is known for... margarine? Ridiculously funny, no?


These songs can now be downloaded for offline access and you can even find lyrics to some of the songs. They also have a YouTube channel with some of these and other songs as well. I highly recommend you check out their songs. Their children's choir have beautiful voices. If you're an FSL teacher like me, I suggest printing out the website url for kids to access from home. It's a long one. Hope it comes in handy! And... joyeux Noël!

'Tis the season to be jolly and to get creative with some indoor play ideas. When it comes it to my two children, who are 3 and 6 years of age, it seems imaginative play has taken precedence. They love to take on different roles and get creative. Their favourite activity is 'playing house.' And this year, they now have a place to call their 'home', thanks to Boutique Cascades and their Cardboard Playhouse.

The Cardboard Playhouse arrived in a flat box which you can keep for easy storage when not in use. There are two large pieces that combine to make the walls and another large piece for the roof. You'll need to poke some of the small notches before assembling, which was easy enough for the kids to help me with. It comes with assembly instructions both in English and en français but it was pretty straight forward. Additional pieces included window and door awnings, two skylights, a chimney and a mailbox.


When it's put together, the kids can decorate it to their heart's content.


But because the holidays are around the corner, I decided to decorate it as a life-size gingerbread house to include in my Deck the Halls post over at EverythingMom.com. I think it turned out so cute and the kids absolutely loved it! They even helped me to paint it.




As you can tell, we really loved getting creative with it. And the best part is that you can paint over it again and start all over. This cardboard playhouse gets six thumbs up and the Toronto Teacher Mom Seal of Approval!



Features:

Yesterday, something happened that was a bit of a shocker, I had to share it on Facebook. As soon as I did, I got into trouble. My sister threatened to tell our mother on me for saying the s word. Yes, I said, snow. Shiver me timber! Looks like it's time to bunker down for the long winter months. At least we'll be sprinkled with some magic fairy dust courtesy of Disney Junior magic to help keep the fun times going.

We all know the story of Peter Pan and his Neverland adventures with Lizzy, TinkerBell and the gang. It's hard to believe that Tinkerbell first made her appearance in Peter Pan in 1904. During the month of November, Disney Junior is dedicating Fridays to TinkerBell by airing a different TinkerBell movie. They also have a TinkerBell Contest to help celebrate Disney Fairies Month so be sure to head on over to DisneyJunior.ca to find out more.

In the meantime, my children and I will be letting our imagination run wild. My kids are young enough that imaginative play comes easily to them. They love role playing and taking an ordinary everyday object and converting it into an essential prop. Lately, my daughter likes to play the role of a teacher and instruct her younger sibling. Sometimes all it takes is reading an interesting book such as the magical Stella, Fairy of the Forest. They can act like butterflies, snakes or sheep whenever they appear in the story.

What are some of the ways you ignite your kids’ imagination? Share your ideas here!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Disney Junior Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Back in September, I shared with you the results of a survey on Back to School spending, conducted on behalf of VISA Canada. They have now released the results of another survey on how Canadians plan to spend their time and money during the holiday season. What do the results show? Canadian shoppers can save money and time by shopping online deals like the ones you can find at visaperks.ca.


It's easy to believe that, if Canadians had a little extra time over the holidays, they would choose to relax (58%), spend more time with family (54%), and spend time with friends (38%). I mean, isn't that what holidays are for? To break away from the daily routines, connect with the important people in our lives and create happy memories? It's also easy to get caught up in the shopping madness of the holiday season, however.

Busy malls and parking lots, impatient shoppers and long lineups are a recipe for disaster in my books. I would much rather shop online at my convenience, in my pj's,  and take advantage of free shipping offers wherever I can. Plus, I find it a lot easier to compare prices and benefit from discounts and deals when I don't have ominous displays of expensive chocolates hovering over me, taunting me to cave into my weakness. You know what I mean?

With Visaperks, VISA cardholders receive exclusive merchant discounts and offers on everything from fashion, beauty and accessories to electronics, travel and more. For instance, you can save 15 per cent off purchases of $100 or more from Birks.com.

As a one-stop destination that helps Canadians save money on the things they love, Visaperks is ideal for shoppers looking to score the best deals for everyone on their list. Whether you’re buying a gift for a family member or friend, purchasing a new holiday outfit or buying the latest electronics at discounted prices, going online to Visaperks is a great way to find and save on whatever you need.

~ Anne McNeil, Director of Marketing, VISA Canada

Take a look at the results below then share your thoughts and holiday shopping tendencies for a chance to win a $50 prepaid VISA gift card here on Toronto Teacher Mom.

• 54% of Canadians have made an online purchase in the last 12 months.
• 51% of Canadians said that they are more likely than last year to shop online this holiday season.
• Canadians plan on spending on average 8.1 hours shopping in the mall and 3.9 hours shopping online this holiday season. 
• Maritimers plan to spend the most time in the mall (9.2 hours) and Ontarians plan to spend the most time online shopping (4.4 hours).
• Crowds (35%), long lineups (22%) and parking lot chaos (11%) continue to be the elements Canadians like least about holiday shopping.

• 72% of Canadians between 18-34 years old have made an online purchase in the last 12 months.
• 68% of Canadians between 18-34 years claim to be more likely than last year to shop online this holiday season.

• More than half of Canadian males (53%) and females (55%) have made an online purchase in the last 12 months.
• Canadian males expect to spend 7.2 hours shopping at the mall this holiday season, while females expect to spend 8.9 hours.
• Female Canadians expect to spend 3.5 hours shopping online during the holiday season, while males expect to spend 4.3 hours.

For a chance to win a $50 prepaid VISA gift card, follow the instructions using the Rafflecopter form below.

Disclosure: I have received a gift card as a thank you for sharing the results of this survey. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Do you remember your child's first haircut? It seems like my son first had his hair cut ages ago. He was a year old when I took him and he had a lot of hair. Boy, is ever cute!

Before

After

Feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday post using the thumbnail linky below.

The holidays are right around the corner and a bunch of EverythingMom bloggers got a jump-start by decorating with 3M™ Command™ products. In order to provide you with some inspiration, we have posted our ideas and have shared some tips and photos to help get you started.

Here's the exciting part:

EverythingMom and 3M™ Command™ brand have partnered to pay out $1000 to six winners!

All you have to do is vote for your favourite décor idea.

You know, the one entitled "Deck the Halls with Diana."

Yeah, that one.

When you provide your vote by filling out the form, you help one of us bloggers get a little bit closer to a $350 prize, to be awarded to the blogger with the most votes at the contest's close, December 12, 2011. And you get entered to win one of five prizes drawn weekly, too. You could win the following during the next five weeks:

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to EverythingMom and get into holiday decor mode. Hammer and nails not required.


Also, don't forget that you can connect with 3M™ Command™ by visiting their Facebook page as well.

Please note: No walls were harmed in the making of these posts.

Fellas, if you're looking for fashionable clothing for that special woman on your holiday shopping list, look no further. BOA Apparel Inc. has got you covered. From tops and dresses to jeans and accessories, you're sure to find the ideal gift for the urban chic fashionista in your life.


Based in Toronto, Boa has been selling their clothing line for the past ten years. With locations on Yonge Street, in the Beaches and one in Oakville, Boa has been rated as one of the "Best Places To Shop In Toronto" by Toronto Life Magazine. One of the things I like about Boa is that they sell long sleeve bamboo tops. These tops are breathable, UV protected and the bamboo material is good for us and the environment. They are great on their own or for layering as well.

Current sale price: $25.49

When I visited theboaroom.com, I was a little doubtful that the long sleeve bamboo top would fit me. Why? It only comes in one size. Seriously? Have you seen my expanding waistline? Then I tried it on. It felt a little tight at first but not uncomfortable. In fact, it felt snug in all the right places. Even though it was kind of like another layer of skin, the unsightly bulges you would normally see appeared less... bulgey. The colour black is also very slimming. In any case, this will definitely become an essential part of my wardrobe and will be great for outfits that call for layering.

Current sale price: $50.99

In addition to the bamboo top, I also picked out this super chic 6-in-1 tunic dress. While I really wanted the dress in a festive red, they didn't have it in my size so I opted for a toned down charcoal instead. This dress can be worn in one of six different looks including 1-sleeve and a halter mini dress. As soon as I tried mine on, I instantly felt like a yummy mummy. I absolutely love the versatility and how incredibly comfortable it felt. And the fact that it's made in Canada is an added bonus.


Speaking of yummy, Boa also has a collection of high wasted comfort jeans that are oh, so stylish. Might need to head on over to Yonge Street for some me-time shopping...

And did you know? Their entire stock is on sale for 15% off and they offer free shipping in Canada on orders over $50!

You'll also be happy to know that, in recent years, BOA Apparel Inc. has become more socially conscious. They aim to help the world's AIDS dilemma and just yesterday, they hosted a fashion show in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Head on over to the Boa website or follow them on Facebook or on Twitter @BoaApparelInc.


Disclosure: I was sent product samples to help facilitate this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

This year, comedian, television writer and Gemini Award winner Rick Mercer invites you to raise a flag as part of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre's Operation Raise a Flag, a new campaign that encourages people to honour and support our veterans.

When you purchase a small Canadian flag, it will be imprinted with your personalized message of thanks and remembrance. Then, on the morning of November 11, these flags will be placed on the front lawn of the Hospital’s Veterans Centre, the largest in the country, as a tribute to Canada’s war heroes. The vets will be able to see this inspiring display of appreciation through their hospital room windows.

The proceeds will benefit the Veterans Comfort Fund at the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre. The fund provides Veteran residents with innovative equipment and computers, a chance to go on community outings and engage in continued learning opportunities and more. In essence, it will enable Veterans to attain the best possible life experience while at the Centre.

You can read the interesting stories of two current veteran residents Norman Bell and Patricia Collins on raiseaflag.ca.


Flags are available in two sizes for a $20 or $50 donation. Take part in Operation Raise a Flag and help them reach their goal of 5,000 flags today.

Did you know that more than 9 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes? The scary thing is that this number is increasing. Since November is National Diabetes Month, it is a good time to talk about preventative measures and, since there is no cure, learn about the importance of managing the disease. Being proactive is the only way to treat Diabetes.

On November 10, the National Post will be releasing the fourth annual Report on Diabetes for World Diabetes Day, which is on November 14. It is an 8-page spread which will be available in circulation as well as online. The Report will discuss prevention and diabetes management and it will also feature Bret Michaels and his battle with Type 1 Diabetes as the cover story. Other topics will include The Importance of Exercise and Weight Loss, The Magnitude of Nutrition and Diet, Recognizing the Symptoms and much, much more. As with many major illnesses, awareness is an important part in preventing the disease. So keep your eyes out for the Report this Thursday.

I still recall living with my maternal grandmother who was diagnosed with diabetes just before she died. I remember sitting on the stairs and listening to the commotion that was going on her bedroom, not fully understanding what was going on. Gosh, I must have been barely four at the time. It wasn't until I first became pregnant that I learned about gestational diabetes and learned that my cousin had developed it during her pregnancy, making it all the more complicated. It has affected her life drastically. It has definitely made me more concerned about pre-diabetes and look into signs and symptoms.

In the National Post publication, Equal will be featured as the exclusive artificial sweetener and will have a recipe included in their 1/ 4 page spread. Even if you have Diabetes, there are still many options when it comes to food. You can find a whole bunch of recipes on Equal.com such as this Bittersweet Chocolate Torte that has 46% less calories than the traditional version thanks to Equal. Doesn't it look so good?


As part of this blog post, I have donated $25 towards Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Canada.
You can make a donation in someone's honour or loving memory, or you can choose to make a general donation towards critical research to help find a cure for diabetes and its complications.

Also, have a look in this week's Sobey's flyer. They will be having a sale on Equal and will also include a special "Baking Flyer" as well.


Facts About Equal

Equal is appropriate for use by individuals with diabetes. It is well-tolerated by both those with insulin dependent and non-insulin dependant diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2). Sugar Lite is also appropriate for use by individuals with diabetes, however they must keep in mind their total carbohydrate counts.
Equal is recognized as an acceptable part of a diabetes meal plan by both the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

*Traditional Equal products actually contain 4 calories and the carbohydrate content is just under 1 gram of carbohydrate per each two teaspoon serving. FDA labeling laws state that if a serving has less than 5 calories, it may be labeled as “0” calories.

Obesity is a Major Risk Factor For Diabetes

Substituting traditional Equal products for sugar in coffee* and on cereal* each day will save an unbelievable 20,440 calories per year. (*based on 2 teaspoons of sugar in coffee and 2 teaspoons of sugar on cereal each day.)


So if I substitute Equal for sugar in my coffee, it could really reduce my caloric intake. Food for thought...

Check out Equal.com for more information. You can connect with Equal on Twitter as well as on Facebook.



This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own. #CBias