Look! Up on the Ceiling! November 25, 2009

Fans of high end gadgets will be pleased to know that The Sharper Image, makers of ultra cool toys for big people, is bringing their products to a wider audience. Once only available online or through The Sharper Image storefronts, now the fun stuff is available at major retailers including The Bay and The Source.

This Projection Alarm Clock projects the digital time on the ceiling in large numbers that are easy to see when your eyes are a little blurry, but the image is soft enough that won’t interrupt your slumber.  In addition to great alarm features like AM/FM radio; dual alarms; touch snooze panels and automatic reset, the time projection has adjustable angles and three settings – HI/LOW/OFF. The radio also has touch controls which is kind of cool.

$69.99 at The Bay and The Source

Join Me on Facebook November 23, 2009

I’ve just created a fan page on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/Shinypackages

Please join my fan page and stay tuned on how you can win big next week!

Joe Fresh for Bath Time November 20, 2009

When it comes to holiday shopping, I think stocking stuffers are the most fun to buy. There is none of the hand wringing that comes with buying a big ticket item. When your budget is $5 to $10, they might love it, they might hate it, but in the end, it’s no big deal. You tried.

Picking up a few items from the new Joe Fresh bath line is probably a pretty safe bet. The candy-coloured collection will appeal to girls, tween, teens, young adults and even not so young adults. There’s a yummy scent for everyone. Take your pick from nectarine, marine, lemon, pomegranate, lime and grapefruit. The collection includes body wash, balm, polish, mist and hand soap.

TIP: In these days of the almighty gift card, I always like to add a little something. Pick up an inexpensive holiday stocking, add a few stuffers and tuck the gift card inside. It’s always nice to open something other than an envelope.

Body polish, $5 and scrubbies, $2 at Superstore and Loblaws.

B.B. Begonia—The Reusuable Bag with the Funny Name November 17, 2009

About a week ago, my new friend Rebecca sent me a B.B. Begonia bag to try out. Rebecca, I have news for you. You can’t be my new best friend. That’s because my new best friend is a bag.

I’m a staunch advocate of the BYOB trend. I Bring My Own Bag wherever I go. Almost always. I really try. But sometimes there are no bags in the back seat and I’m forced to schlep into the store, head hanging low, knowing I will need a nasty plastic bag.

That’s all changed with B.B. Begonia. You see, these bags scrunch into tiny little parcels that fit into your purse, pocket or visor of your new Pontiac. They are always handy!

And did I mention they are also extremely functional? Big enough to hold almost more than you can lift. The arm hole is roomy enough to fit over my shoulder. As for style, well, you can’t really beat them. Have a look at the Website for all the good-looking options.

www.bbbegonia.com

You can find out where to get the bags through the Website or by e-mailing Rebecca at customerservice@bbbegonia.com

ONLINE: eco-handbags.ca, tweedandhickory.com, hightechonline.ca, and gardenroom.ca

Bags are $8.99 for the singles and $44.99 for the 5-pack pouch

These bags are brought to us by a Winnipeg company. In Winnipeg, get the bags at:  Artifacts, D.A Niels Kitchenware, Fort Whyte Alive –The Nature Shop, The Happy Cooker, Lacoste Garden Centre, Lola Boutique, Mach Artworks, Manitoba Children’s Museum, McNally Robinson, Organza Market, Sandstone Gift Essentials, Scoop ‘N’ Weigh, Shelmerdine Garden Centre, St Boniface Hospital Gift Shop, The Garden Room, U.N Luggage and The Winnipeg Art Gallery.

WIN BIG! HUGE GIVEAWAYS STARTING NOV. 30! November 16, 2009

I can’t tell you how excited I am about our big holiday series starting Nov. 30. It’s called 15 DAYS OF GIFTING and as you might have guessed, it will feature 15 days of the latest and greatest products, just in time for holiday gifting.

GIVEAWAYS! GIVEAWAYS! GIVEAWAYS! GIVEAWAYS! GIVEAWAYS!

While you’re doing all that shopping for OTHER PEOPLE, your really deserve a little pick-me-up just for yourself. Here’s your chance! During 15 DAYS OF GIFTING, you can enter to win some seriously excellent prizes. Let me know if any of these brand names pique your curiosity: LUSH, BLOCKBUSTER, SMASHBOX, GOSH, JOHN FRIEDA and more! We have a Lia Sophia bracelet up for grabs and it sells for $495. We also have a fantastic prize pack from VH Sauces valued at $150. More prizes are still rolling in.

Visit http://shinypackages.wordpress.com and enter often to win!

 

 

I Heart Appetizers! November 13, 2009

What’s the best think about the holiday season? In my books it’s the food. In our household, we often forgo a regular supper in favour of a spread of yummy appetizers. Cheese, dips, mini pepperonis, pickles, olives and a few hot items. For the hot items, I head to M&M Meat Shops. Our faves include the zucchini sticks, coconut shrimp and everyone’s favourite—the Oriental Party Pack.

M&M Meat Shops has over 50 appetizers and finger foods stocked in their famous one aisle. Now that the holidays are upon us, I suggest you make a trip to M&M and grab a few items. The inlaws will love you.

http://www.mmmeatshops.com

Let Your Plate Do The Talking November 12, 2009

I couldn’t help but think of my dad when I saw this plate holder. He’s the kind of guy who has programmed his car horn to play the Lone Ranger theme. I can only imagine what he might program into this scrolling message plate, you know, the one on his 1979 black Corvette with the t-tops, the one he restored and the one he and my mom cruise around in like a couple from American Graffiti.

It has a built-in memory that can hold up to five messages. Any message can be up to 250 characters. That’s almost twice the length of a Tweet! Go ahead, start thinking of all the clever messages you can create. The scrolling programmable message plate holder is from Shoppers Drug Mart and it sells for $34.99.

Black Velvet Will Bring You to Your Knees November 11, 2009

When I look at the packaging, I can’t help but think of the movie Moulin Rouge, Prince, holiday lights and a boutique called Fashion Crimes on Queen Street West in Toronto. This kind of dark and dusky look is a big change for the usually perky and earthy offerings from The Body Shop. And I like it.

Here’s a little about this line, straight from the news release, because, well, I couldn’t have said it any better. Contemporary, luxurious and sensual, the Black Velvet Apricot collection is a highly decadent range of body and home fragrance products that evoke an ‘after dark’ world of enchantment. The collection’s opulent designs in dramatic midnight blue and black take inspiration from the latest autumn/ winter trends, so you can indulge your style-conscious loved-one with a perfectly chic gift. Specially selected by The Body Shop customers, the sophisticated fragrance features black velvet apricot – a sumptuous fruit that combines the tang of a plum with all the rich mellowness of a regular apricot. Blended with notes of red currant and orange flower, this range is an indulgent experience that’s both elegant and festive.

So there you have it. I slathered on some body butter this morning and it’s doing wonders on my ‘winter is coming, I had better dry out’ skin. I also love the lip balm for its fragrance but also for the vintage style tin that it comes in.

The line includes soap ($5), shower nectar ($13), body smoother and body butter ($20 each), lip balm ($8), shimmer lotion ($18) and a home fragrance candle, reed diffuser and oil ($7.50 to $24).

Tassimo Tassimo Tassimo November 10, 2009

How do I love thee Tassimo? Let me count the ways: coffee, latte, hot chocolate and Earl Grey tea. About a year ago, I got my hands on a Tassimo hot beverage machine for the office. I must say I was reluctant to give up the old machine and Tim Hortons coffee. But it sure didn’t take long for me to convert.

For those who have never heard of a Tassimo, let me explain. Fill the reservoir with water, insert a disk of your choice and press the button. You cup fills with your selected beverage in a minute. There’s no coffee pot to wash out or flabby filter to cart to the garbage. And best of all, the coffee is damn good. I’m hooked on the Nabob Colombian and my business partner loves the Starbucks House Blend. We even bought Tassimos for four of our clients last Christmas.

I recently got a Tassimo for home and I swear it’s one of the things that entices me to crawl out of bed in the morning. I live to have tea in the evenings and the Tassimo is perfect for my cup of Earl Grey from Twinings. Our son loves the rich hot chocolate and insists he make it himself.

The newest model of Tassimo is called the T65 and it retails for about $250 (shown here). I have T45s and they are splendid. You might even be able to find one on a clearance rack at a rock bottom price.

A New Flavour: Pink Peppercorn & Anise October 22, 2009

I’m a huge fan of Fruits & Passion products. It seems they come out with the most unexpected and unique fragrance combinations for their products. I have to admit I was a little skeptical of this new one—pink peppercorn and anise—in the Cucina line.

The scent is not for everyone. I’m a fan of both pepper and licorice fragrances so I took to this rather easily. It’s a radical change from the sweet, citrusy or flowery scents you may be used to in dish detergents, hand soaps and lotions.

This concentrated dish detergent (pictured here) contains cleaning agents derived from coconut oil and cornstarch instead of petroleum ingredients that are often used in conventional products. You can get a refill to help prolong the life of your original bottle and reduce waste. A 1 litre refill is equivalent to two original bottles.

$9 at Fruits & Passion

http://www.fruitsandpassion.com

The dish detgergent, and many other Cucina products, are available in 7 fragrances: Coriander and Olive Tree, Fig and Savory Flower, Ginger and Sicilian Lemon, Lime Zest and Cypress, Pink Pepper and Anise, Sanguinelli Orange and Fennel, Zucchini Flower and Truffle.