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HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FROM 4TH STREET

The Christmas shopping season has officially kicked off! Well, maybe it kicked off for you a long time ago but for everyone whose December is flying by, it is definitely time to get shopping.

I was on Breakfast TV here in Calgary this past Monday morning chatting about great gift ideas from 4th Street. Even though I just love 4th Street with an unnatural passion, being the brand ambassador for the street is really fantastic because I am able to spread the word about this incredible street and the wonderful people and shops that inhabit it’s avenues. Plus, shopping local is especially important this year as many small businesses are hurting because of the dampening of the economy over the past year.

The street is hosting a late night holiday shopping event tonight where most of the shops are open until 8pm! It is a great way to check out the great selection of boutiques and restaurants that you might not have a chance to visit on other days. On December 8th between 4pm and 8pm receive a FREE Christmas Tree when you present a receipt(s) of spending over $100 at a 4th Street Business. All of the details are here! 
Here is the video of our segment showcasing some great gift ideas from up and down 4th Street. All of the stores mentioned are listed below!

 

Marlow Floralworks - 2101 4 St SW

 

Inspirati2207 4 St SW

 

Neal’s Yard Remedies - 2207 4 St SW

 

Krickets - 2306 4 St SW

 

Bin 905 - 2311 4 St SW

 

Modern Menswear - 2500 4 St SW

 

Coco + Violet - 2500 4 St SW #17

Babor Beauty Spa - 2500 4 St SW #25

 

FieldStudy - 102 - 1812 4 St SW

ShelfLife Books1302 4 St SW

 

LONDON DRUGS AT SAGE HILL + BLACK FRIDAY

Can you believe it is already the end of November? How this has happened I have no idea but I’m excited to start getting settled down for the holidays. The Gilmore Girls revival season launches on Netflix – seems like the perfect timing to pick a new smart tv or computer to binge-watch the full six hours of Gilmore goodness. Couple all of that with delicious snacks and you’ve got a perfect weekend ahead of you.

As the kickoff to Black Friday sales rapidly approach, London Drugs is opening a brand-new location right here in Calgary in the northwest neighbourhood of Sage Hill. I had the opportunity to preview the new store as well as some of the AMAZING Black Friday deals launching tomorrow and I was seriously impressed.

The Sage Hill location is literally a one-stop shop providing an amazing shopping experience for everything you need from cosmetics to tech to computers to pharmacy. The pharmacy is massive and I can see it being a great health hub for the folks in Sage Hill and neighbouring communities. I even got my flu shot while I was getting the tour of the store. That means I helped give a lifesaving vaccine to immunize children in a developing country because for every flu shot administer at London Drugs, a vaccination is donated to UNICEF Canada.

Some of the really cool aspects of the store include a Learning Lab where London Drugs will host their own workshops on topics such as health and wellness to technology and sustainability. One of the great things about this space is that it will actually be available for use by local community groups, educators and experts to host their own events or workshops. I love how they are opening it up to the community and providing a welcoming space!

Okay, now to my favourite part – the amazing Black Friday sales! London Drugs has extremely competitive pricing even against US retailers – you are going to find some incredible deals in store that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. While browsing the store and the advanced preview of the sale I found some seriously incredible deals. You can pick everything from ethical coffee beans for great prices to all of your essentials and home needs to last you through the holidays into the new year. You can view the entire Black Friday flyer here.

I found some truly stand out items while browsing around however – I know each one of these will be a huge hit for this Black Friday.

First off the KitchenAid Pro 600 Series 6 Quart Stand Mixer is on sale for an unheard of price! Only $295.99, down from over $700. An unbelievable deal that makes a great Christmas to your favourite baker or for yourself!

 

Another great deal that I’ve been drooling over is the SONY A6000B Kit with 16-50mm Lens. The camera is on sale for $729.97 for Black Friday only and is an excellent deal for anyone wanting a fantastic lightweight camera that takes amazing photos.

I am a huge fan of the Sodastream Jet Mega Pack so when I saw that the Jet Mega Pack is on sale for $59.99 I made a mental note to pick up one for everyone in my family – such an incredible deal for something that actually saves you a ton of money over the year.

If you love Fitbit you won’t want to miss the savings on two models this year! The Fitbit Alta is on sale for $129.95 and the Fitbit Flex2 Fitness Tracker is on sale for $99.95. Both great options for anyone wanting to up their fitness for the new year!

Another exciting addition to London Drugs is the recently launched LDExtras rewards program where you will find some great perks for shopping at the store including things like free gift wrapping, discounts and more! www.ldexttras.com Sign up today to take advantage of all of the membership benefits before you shop on Black Friday!

Visit Sage Hill London Drugs at Sage Hill Crossing (50 Sage Hill Plaza NW).

This post is in partnership with London Drugs and all words are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that keep this blog full of fresh content!

 

 

BE PICTURE PERFECT FOR THE HOLIDAYS: MODERN HALF-UP DO

This post was sponsored by Dove, Nexxus, TRESemmé and Shoppers Drug Mart. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, who is a paid influencer, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dove, Nexxus, TRESemmé and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Anyone else ridiculously excited for the holidays to kick off? Okay, I know it is only November but I can’t wait for all of the celebrations this year. One of my favourite part of this time of year is planning out holiday outfits, glamourous makeup looks and of course, beautiful hairstyles. Since most parties these days have a photobooth of some kind or everyone is using Instagram or Snapchat, it is great to find the perfect hairstyle that will keep you looking on point no matter what.

One of the hottest looks of the season is styling your hair in a 1990s x 1960s half-up/half-down party lob! Okay, I totally just made that name up but I swear it’s got a great thing going for it. I love the voluminous, piled-high locks of movie stars from the 60s combined with the slightly cheeky cheerleader styles from the 90s. Morphed into one hair style, this look is perfect to bring out at all of the parties this season! It has got all of the glamour of an up-do with a softer, more free-flowing vibe to it. Twist in some braids for some added texture or curl your locks for a more vintage feel. Styling your ‘do with a gorgeous vintage rhinestone clip will instantly add that much more glitz and glamour to your look – making this style easily to transition from work party to night party in no time.

For the best products and seasonal beauty inspiration Shoppers Drug Mart is my first and only stop. Their incredible selection for haircare and styling has everything I need and Shoppers Optimum rewards me for experimenting with my hair. To get started I gathered together the following to get working on my holiday look.

Tools:

  • Nexxus Lavish Volume Shampoo: with a customized blend of Panthenol (B-5), Green tea extract and concentrated 100% elastin protein, gently cleanses as it adds natural, healthy-looking fullness.
  • Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo: Absorbs oil between traditional washes so hair looks and feels refreshed. Weightless formula cleans to transform lifeless hair, so you can enjoy fresh, volumized hair, even when you skip your regular wash.
  • Nexxus Maxximum Super Hold Styling & Finishing Mist: Get long lasting control for hard to hold styles with Maxximum Super Hold Styling and Finishing Mist.
  • Straightening Iron + Blow Dryer
  • Thin black hair elastic
  • Bobby Pins as needed
  • Hair Brush and Comb

I love using the Nexxus Lavish Volume Shampoo as it leaves my hair feeling so soft and silky. After washing my hair, I blow dry my hair just using my fingers instead of a brush. My hair is fairly curly when I air dry it so I find that I am able to smooth it out a bit more this way – especially if I’m not planning on doing a full blowout.

After blow drying, I use my heated up straightening iron to smooth out my hair and curl the ends. As I mentioned, I love how movie stars of the 60s always had perfectly twirled wispy ends and it is so easy to recreate that in this fresh holiday look. Once my hair is smoothed and has an adorable bounce to it, I like to add a bit of the Dove Refresh & Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo to my roots around the crown of my head. Instead of using a texturizing spray or teasing my hair, I find that the dry shampoo adds the perfect amount of texture to give it some life for this flirty look. Dove gives the nourishment my hair needs from root to tip. Dove is an expert in nourishment, keeping my hair hydrated and irresistibly smooth.

I’ll define the part on both sides of my head – for this style, symmetrical parts work best. Pulling the top part of my hair back, I smooth it with my fingers into a small ponytail and secure with the thin black hair elastic. Wrapping a small piece of hair around the elastic, I tuck it underneath. To give it some lift, I tighten it and fluff up the ends. At this point, if you want a more glam look you can curl your hair even more. Once I’ve done that, I finish the look with the Nexxus Maxximum Super Hold Styling & Finishing Mist.

This is my absolute favourite product right now – it leaves my hair feeling soft and touchable – while still maintain the shape and curl of the style. Gotta love a product that you don’t have to compromise on. Nexxus was Unilever’s first brand to explore and develop concentrated protein based hair care solutions. Nexxus products have a targeted purpose, custom-crafted to work together as part of a total system. It’s all about bringing hair back to equilibrium so it moves with beautiful fluidity. Nexxus has 30 years of New York salon heritage and pioneering scientific expertise. Nexxus has a strong heritage in wash & care products, and specialty treatments.

Hair experts TRESemmé, Dove, Nexxus and Shoppers Drug Mart presents your “To ’Do List” for picture perfect hairstyles this holiday. Office parties, family get-togethers and any place you’ll be taking pictures this holiday call for The To ’Do List – a girl’s guide to mastering photo-ready looks with seasonal styles, top products and tips for keeping your hair on point in holiday pictures. Find it all at Shoppers Drug Mart, and love every selfie this season.

 

Find everything you need to love your look this holiday, with TRESemmé, Nexxus and Dove at your local Shoppers Drug Mart. To check out more looks like this one and see what else is on your Holiday To’Do List visit www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/todolist

THYME-INFUSED CHERRY TEA MAI TAI WITH NOXX & DUNN RUM

It is barely November and I’m already getting into the holiday spirit – dreaming up menus for holiday parties and coming up with delicious cocktail recipes to share with friends.

I was recently introduced to a new-to-Alberta rum called Noxx & Dunn so I immediately started thinking about rum, specifically rum cocktails. After digging through my cocktail cookbooks, Pinterest and recipe cards, I settled on a modern spin on the traditional Mai Tai mixing the rum with tea and infusing it with fresh thyme. Some purists will definitely say this isn’t a mai tai at all, but I think it definitely has all of the characteristics of one and the Noxx & Dunn rum compliments the flavours perfectly.

The Noxx & Dunn 2-4-5 Rum is made from 100% Florida Cane Molasses and aged in American oak barrels. That delicious oaky rum flavour definitely comes across on the first taste and it is incredibly smooth. The numbers 2-4-5 come from the blend of rums aged two, four and five years in the oak barrels. The colour and flavour are both completely natural – making this the perfect spirit to drink on its own or add it to your favourite cocktail recipe – like I did!

I love the vintage look/feel of this recipe and I think that the Noxx & Dunn rum compliments it so well. Even though the rum is a modern label, I feel like the vintage-looking shape of the bottle is a perfect fit for your holiday bar cart selection.

Thyme-infused Cherry Tea Mai Tai with Noxx & Dunn

Ingredients:

  • 4 tea bags of black cherry tea
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 5-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
  • 1 ½ cups of pineapple juice
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 6 ounces of Noxx & Dunn Florida Rum
  • ice
  • pineapple slices, cherries and fresh thyme for garnish 

Time to get down to business! Steep your cherry tea with the thyme springs in hot water for about five minutes – I used these great KORKEN jars from IKEA and made a little extra so that I could have iced tea for the next day. Once the tea had cooled and I removed the tea bags, I filled the jars up with ice to cool them down quickly. If you prepare your tea ahead of time, you can just pop it in the fridge for cocktail convenience anytime. Stir in the maple syrup and mix well. You can also use honey if you don’t have maple syrup.

For your pineapple juice, feel free to juice your own or use pre-bought unsweetened or sweetened juice. They will all do the trick and taste delicious. Add the juice of one lemon to it and stir thoroughly.

Fill your cocktail glasses to the top with ice. Pour in an ounce of the black cherry tea and 1 ½ ounces of the Noxx & Dunn rum. Fill the glass with pineapple juice and gently stir to combine ingredients. Top with a pineapple slice, a couple of cherries and some more fresh thyme.

Bottoms up! Don’t forget to drink responsibly.

Follow Noxx & Dunn on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more great recipes!

  

This post is in partnership with Noxx & Dunn Florida Rum. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Archives of Cool going.

BLENDED: A HOLIDAY POP-UP

Do you love beautiful and quirky children’s clothing, locally made goods and eye-popping floral arrangements? I sure do so I can’t wait to spread the word about blended: a holiday pop-up happening this weekend at The Commons Commodore Room in Ramsay! 

Bring the whole family down on November 5 & 6 from 10am-5pm to enjoy a curated holiday shopping experience including local retailers Joie de Cristaux jewelry, Darn Yarnz crochet goods, Rhosyn Floral wreaths + floral arrangements and my good friends at Bandit Cubs, who organized the whole pop-up event, will have their full selection of decor, toys and clothing (some of their fabulous wares pictured here). And because we all love treats, they are going to have a hot chocolate and marshmallow bar that will help you keep fueled up for lots of shopping and fun.

And as promised, the fun doesn’t stop there - local lifestyle and family photography Kristy-Anne Swart of Up and Away Studios will be shooting  mini photo sessions for families and kids. Perfect for getting super cute Christmas card photos organized WAY ahead of schedule. 

The Bandit Cubs gals will also have a draw for everyone who attends to enter to win gift certificates to use for their holiday shopping with the vendors present. Seriously, how fun/amazing/exciting is that?

The Details:

When: November 5 + 6 10am-5pm

Where: The Commons Commodore Room - 1206 20th Ave SE

Street access and free parking in The Commons’ northern lot.

I ♥ YYC: HAYDEN BLOCK SMOKE & WHISKEY

If there was ever a doubt that meat and good cocktails didn’t go together, that idea was certainly quashed when Hayden Block set up shop here in Calgary. Located in the heart of Kensington, this deliciously smokey eaterie is where meat-filled dreams are born. I popped in for lunch a couple of weeks ago with my photographer friend Lindsay MacNeil (who snapped these lovely photos) for a meat + cocktail-fueled meal that - to be completely honest - totally blew us away.

First of all, the ambiance of Hayden Block is absolutely charming. The wooden interior and strands of exposed bulbs throughout the joint give off a perfect Southern vibe reminscient of BBQ spots you’d find in places like Austin, Texas. I love the long communal tables that center the room and the fantastic bar where all of their famous cocktails are crafted.

Speaking of cocktails, we had the opportunity to try some seriously delicious beverages. Their cocktail menu is very unique - using ingredients I’ve never seen on any other menus around town. Lindsay tried the Smokey Old Fashioned (watch how it is made on my Instagram here) which features Buffalo Trace Bourbon, sugar cub, burnt orange butters and Angostura bitters. I decided to go with the Old Besse cocktail which features Alberta Springs 10 Year, Amaro Lucano, orange blossom flower water, ginger and dandelion burdock bitters. Both cocktails packed a real punch and were the perfect compliment to our meal.

We ended up trying a little bit of everything for lunch - from pulled pork to smoked turkey to brisket to ribs. Most of their menu is completely gluten-free so I was beyond excited to be able to try so many things on the menu. We also tried their potato salad, broccoli salad and watermelon mint salad, along with some pickled vegetables. Everything was perfectly flavoured and left us feeling pleasantly satisfied. Their house-made sauces were absolutely amazing. Between the espresso sauce and the sour flavour, the house sauce was definitely our favourite.

The potato salad was classic with a light and creamy dressing that didn’t overpower the flavours of the meat and sauces.

The pulled pork literally melted in your mouth. Loved it with the espresso bbq sauce - can’t wait to go back and try it again.

The smoked turkey was definitely a highlight of the meal. Even though Thanksgiving had already passed it felt like the perfect time to indulge in some delicious turkey. The watermelon and broccoli salads were a great pairing with the juicy and tender slices of turkey.

While we visited Hayden Block for lunch, you should know that they also have a delightful brunch menu featuring all sorts of yummy things like Brisket Breakfast Tacos and Pulled Pork Eggs Benny. If you are more of a night owl, you should definitely pop by after 10pm for quite a deal - they offer 1/2 price off their entire meat menu. It can be so hard to find great late-night eats in this city, so you’ve heard it here first - head to Hayden Block when you have a hankering for some delicious food and maybe a cocktail or two.

Visit Hayden Block - 1136 Kensington Road NW

Follow them on Facebook + Twitter + Instagram!

A READING WITH SHANA LEE GIBSON

As some of you may know, I like to keep things in my life a little bit mystical and mysterious from time to time. As much as I am not a religious person in any sense, I would definitely consider myself to be spiritual to some extent and I love seeking out answers and meaning for things that happen throughout life. Some of the most important people in my life are incredibly intuitive and I definitely connect with that/them deeply.

I recently had the opportunity to have a reading with Canadian spiritual medium, Shana Lee Gibson, and it is an experience I won’t soon forget. In fact, it has taken me a few weeks to completely absorb the information she shared with me. I’ve listened to the recording of my reading several times and have referred back to it on a couple occasions already.

Based in Crescent Beach, B.C. (which is actually where I spent a good chunk of my childhood growing up), Shana provides a variety of services to her clients from mediumship, meditation and mentorship. I’ve recently been going through some big life changes both personally and professionally, so I was really looking forward to getting her insight on my situation.

While my reading was only about 25 minutes long (her regular sessions are typically 50min - 1 hour), I gained so much insight on my all aspects of my life. I was very impressed at how intuitive Shana was - and how quickly she assessed my situation. My reading was done on the phone via a conference call which allowed Shana to record our session which she later sent my way for my own personal records.

Throughout the reading, Shana referred to some family members that had passed on that were looking out for me, pets that were happy to have me in their life and even referenced future work opportunities that I could look forward to in the coming year. Overall, the experience was so enjoyable - talking to Shana was like talking to an old friend who knew me well. Her manner is very happy and light and personable - we were able to laugh about some not-very-fun situations which definitely put me at ease with her. Once some more time has passed, I am looking forward to booking a full one hour session with her - hopefully in person (um hello, she lives right near the ocean!) but potentially by phone again.

As much as I loved the opportunity to ask Shana questions about my own life, I was also greatly looking forward to asking her a few questions about her own life, mediumship and how she interacts with clients.

How would you describe yourself as a medium and mentor? 

Shana: That’s a good question! When I tell people I’m a Medium they are perplexed because I’m so normal! They are expecting an old lady with a gypsy scarf wrapped around their head or they are concerned I will randomly blurt out death predictions or warnings. So, they are surprised when they sit down in front of me or I speak to them on the phone and I start talking about what I see in my mind’s eye that relates to their deceased loved ones or situations they are faced with in their life. I have a gift called Clairvoyance and I relay the visions I receive to help the person I’m reading to gain clarity and perhaps heal from guilt or fear they are carrying over a past incident. I’m called to serve and offer the visions as a way for my client to move forward, lighter and more peaceful. It’s an amazing spiritual process and also quite a practical one as funny as that sounds. The information is literal much of the time so there’s no denying what I see and how it pertains to the client. The lack of abstract information tends to bring people back down to earth and out of fearful expectations of ‘what might be revealed.’ They just feel good afterwards and may also then find themselves on the path of transformation and courageously making new decisions.

What can people typically expect from doing a distance reading with you? 

Shana: A lot of people tell me they feel an ease with me they weren’t expecting and they are always surprised by the level of accuracy in the information given. We laugh and have some ‘aha’ moments during the session. I say what I see and I’m constantly humbled by Spirit’s ability to give just what is needed. It’s a nurturing and sometimes mind blowing experience that leaves my client and I in awe. I always say, ‘I’m a Virgo and I need to be thorough’ so I work every angle possible in our time together. At the end of the day, if we have a positive connection I’m going to be able to help and offer some potentially awesome evidence that validates the continuous existence of your deceased loved ones and the power of your soul. 

What is your favourite thing about doing readings via phone or Skype? 

Shana: While I love doing in-person readings, phone readings are awesome because I’ve never seen or spoken to the client before so when I begin sharing my visions they are surprised at what I see and how I’m able to connect with them strictly through voice. That’s because we are energy and not separated by time or space and the voice carries your unique soul vibration. 

In your experience what is the most powerful thing you can impart on to your clients?

Shana: Big question! Hmmm, how to sum it all up. Well, I’d say that things are not always what they appear to be so look for the truth and don’t be satisfied until you get it. Listen to that small voice within that is guiding you right and expect better for yourself. Stop settling out of fear and apprehension that you may not live the life you’re dreaming of. Take a good look at where you are now, accept it & love it and work toward your vision with what you’ve got. Question your dreams and see why you’re chasing what you’re chasing to be sure you’ll end up where you want to be. Talk to your spirit team (whether you know them or not), include God, your Guardian angels in your desires and ask for help. Your deceased loved ones are cheering you on, have forgiven any mistakes in life and are now living a pain free adventure on the Other Side. What you feel is a positive sign from Spirit, IS! Trust what you feel. 

Lastly, I’ve learned so much during my 10 years as a Medium that I recently published a deck of Oracle Cards called, ‘Empowering the Teenage Soul.’ I share all of what I’ve gleamed in these 33 cards. However, I certainly have only skimmed the surface of the Spirit world so I intend to keep learning and growing. 

You can book your session with Shana for both phone/Skype or in-person readings here.

Follow Shana Lee Gibson on Social Media: Facebook + Instagram + Twitter

FOUR HALLOWEEN PARTY SUPPLIES C/O ETSY

Can you believe it that Halloween is already this weekend/early next week? I’m not quite sure where the year has gone, let alone the month but the spookiest day of the year is already upon us and I’m curious - are you ready?

Luckily, the amazing crafty folks over at Etsy Canada are always working on something new and there is plenty of great finds for anyone looking for some spooky additions to their Halloween decor and party supplies. 

Here For The Booze Halloween Card, ($5.00) by BAECKANN

How cute is this adorable card? I feel like this would be a fantastic addition to a gift for anyone lucky enough to have a Halloween (adult) birthday party.

Halloween Cat Confetti, ($6.00) by Papered Whiskers

You can never have too much confetti hanging around and this black cat confetti from Papered Whiskers is definitely a great addition to any Halloween soiree.

 

Halloween Sock Monkey, ($50.00) by Red Heart Monkeys

Halloween Sock Money. Need I say, more?

Eat, Drink & Be Scary Reclaimed Wood Sign, ($50.00) by SigntologyCA

I love this sign (and the amazing name of their company) it is a great addition to any Halloween party’s punchbowl table! I feel like if you were the right kind of person you could actually keep it out all year round, haha!

INTRODUCING THE MARKET MIX

You know the feeling you get after spending an afternoon at a farmer’s market? Your baskets and canvas tote bags are filled to the brim with fresh produce, tasty jams, locally baked bread and other interesting things that you might not come across in your average grocery store. The feeling is great; you just supported a handful of local businesses and farmers and you also have a bounty of delicious eats to last you until your next market visit.

But what about the times when you can’t make it into the market or when you just get stuck in a market routine where you never discover anything new? That is where Market Mix comes in! This Calgary-based company is revolutionizing the subscription box service to bring amazing small-batch products to your doorstop from across Canada every single month. Janelle and Jesse are the two masterminds behind this great new product that they created out of love for farmer’s markets. The pair travels far and wide (think the Okanagan to India) and always seeks out the local market to discover new ingredients, products and delicious eats native to the area. Wanting to create something special that brought together their favourite farmer’s market finds (4-6 to be exact) in one place combined with the #shoplocal movement, they came up with the idea for Market Mix.

This past month I had the opportunity to try out two of their boxes - Canadian Summer and Breakfast in Bed. I can see why Jesse and Janelle have so much fun curating these boxes - it was like Christmas morning opening them up to see what was in side. Like I mentioned, each box typically contains 4-6 locally-made products per month and these two boxes did not disappoint at all! Be sure to scroll down for your exclusive discount code just for Archives of Cool readers!

The Canadian Summer box was their launch box and it was seriously such a great introduction to who Market Mix is and the kind of makers and producers that they support. This box had everything you could ever want!

This soap from lavami was a great addition to the box featuring a combination of lavender, grapefruit, lemon & basil all wrapped up into a beautiful hand soap entitled Summer.

This Canadian Bacon? salt seasoning from the Salt Cellar was my favourite item in the box. I currently want to put it on every single thing I eat - from popcorn to to poultry. Absolutely delicious.

Who doesn’t love a bag of delicious popcorn? This bag of Sugar Creek Gourmet S’Mores Popcorn didn’t last long around these parts - what a delicious treat to enjoy. I should mention that everything in these boxes is full-sized not sample sized so you are actually getting an amazing deal on Canadian-made products.

Lastly, I loved this Strawberry Rhubarb Tea. While it is definitely summer-inspired, this delightful tea is so refreshing and light even as we move into the winter months.

Some of my favourite items from the Breakfast in Bed box were so perfect to open up on a weekend morning. Between the amazing coffee beans from Canmore-based roastery, Rave Coffee Roasters and the delicious Raspberry Mango Jam, breakfast was made in the stars - just add toast!

Um, hello. Coffee beans AND coffee lip balm. A match made in heaven - so excited to hear about this new roaster based in the Rockies - looking forward to checking them out next time in town.

This coffee cake sugar scrub from The Artful Attic Bath Co. not only smells heavenly but it is also a great exfoliator! Very tempting to eat it, however I managed to control myself!

How cute are these two products? I love seeing the variety in the products that arrive in the Market Mix boxes - it is so amazing how they manage to find such great producers making such interesting things. Love the passion that comes through it all.

Box contents are always a surprise, but they get so excited about what’s inside that they’re always giving sneak peeks via their newsletter, Facebook and Instagram! They just announced the new theme for their upcoming box - it is called Bath Bliss. Sounds heavenly doesn’t it? Order yours by September 30th to guarantee your Bath Bliss mix to arrive next month. They are offering a special discount for The Archives of Cool readers (!!!) - be sure to use this discount code when you sign up: COOL10.

They also have some great longer term options - you know, so that the gift (to yourself or others) keeps on giving month after month. The basic Market Mix Monthly Box subscription is a great way to spoil yourself with new goodies every month. If you subscribe for a monthly delivery it is only $39.95 a month (saving you a bit instead of buying individual boxes) and you don’t have to commit to a certain number of months - you can keep your subscription going indefinitely or cancel at any time.

If you are looking for a unique gift idea, Market Mix 1, 2 + 3 month subscriptions are a great way to go. After the three months, whomever received your gift subscription can decide whether they’d like to continue or not. It is a perfect way to introduce your friends and loved ones to great new products!

Make sure to follow Market Mix on Facebook and Instagram to get product sneak peeks and monthly theme announcements first!

This post is in partnership with Market Mix! Thank you to our readers for supporting the #shoplocal movement and amazing companies like Market Mix!

DIY WORKSHOPS AT CALGARY HOME + DESIGN SHOW

If you’ve ever wanted your Pinterest board to come to life, now is your chance! The Calgary Home + Design Show kicks off on September 22nd with plenty of fresh design and decor inspiration to keep those Pinterest dreams alive and well.

Learn from the pros in a hands-on workshop series curated by one of my very creative pals  - DIY blogger, Lacey Haskell of Feathering My Nest. From FAT Painting to embroidery, hand lettering to kokedama, create your very own unique handcrafted home decor alongside Calgary’s best artisans. Get into mixing natural florals and plants, learn to perfectly place stitches, discover hand lettering, and get painty with the great Canadian FAT Paint to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Scroll down to see the full schedule and sign up for a workshop!

Thursday September 22 
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm FAT Paint Workshop: Wood Caddy
With Lacey Haskell of Feathering My Nest

Friday September 23 
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm FAT Paint Workshop: Crate
With Lacey Haskell of Feathering My Nest

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Embroidery Workshop
With Maria Arseniuk of Femme.Broidery

Saturday September 24 
11:00 am - 1:00 pm Chalkboard Hand Lettering Workshop
With Alison Martin of amartincreative

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Embroidery Workshop
With Maria Arseniuk of Femme.Broidery

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm FAT Paint Workshop: Wood Caddy
With Lacey Haskell of Feathering My Nest

Sunday September 25
10:30 am - 11:30 am Kokedama Hanging Garden Workshop
With Sunny Barrett of Always Sunny Design

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Kokedama Hanging Garden Workshop
With Sunny Barrett of Always Sunny Design

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm FAT Paint Workshop: Crate
With Lacey Haskell of Feathering My Nest

Photos via Feathering My Nest.

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