Readying Our Garden With Help From Canadian Tire {#cbias #SocialFabric}

I'm no green thumb, but every spring since my kids were little we have planted flowers together; it has become a really nice tradition. Mind you, I'd never attempt splitting a hosta or planting something big, like a tree. After four years of practice, though, I think I'm comfortable enough to plant annuals in pots or a small patch of my garden, without worrying that they'll wither and die!

This past weekend, my daughter and I visited Canadian Tire to choose some lovelies for our front garden. Usually the kids and I plant annuals in pots on our back deck, but last year we removed some old plantings in our front garden so we figured the front needed a bit of love this year. :)

 

I'm not much of a planner when it comes to the garden - I'm a visual kinda girl, so whatever catches my eye and suits the garden conditions (i.e. full sun, good soil drainage, etc) is what we bring home. Luckily, despite it being early in the season, Canadian Tire had a good selection of beautiful blooms at reasonable prices.

Spring Has Sprung!!

It would be an understatement to say that winter has overstayed its welcome! Despite having snow fly late last week, I have been in awe of the pretty blooms in neighbouring gardens. Take a peek - I hope it inspires you!

 

This last picture is a bit of sunshine made by my girl on a dreary day.
I was lucky to snap a pic of it just as the sun came out! :)

Happy Spring everyone!!

 

My run-in with James Cunningham from Eat Street (and eating lots of cake!)

Me and James Cunningham

Earlier this month, I went to The Cookbook Store's 30th Anniversary party on behalf of my blogger friend Serena from Bewildered Bug.

It was SUCH a tough job... I mean, sampling a million different kinds of cake, checking out some of the best cookbooks from around the world and meeting James Cunningham from Eat St. (LOVE that show!)?

If you want to know what he's really like in person, and how he stays so trim despite eating all those yummy food truck creations, click here.

 

Wishing for an Itch-Free Day {#itchfreeday}

For as long as I can remember, I've had eczema. It's not something I talk about a lot, but it has definitely affected my life.

During certain times of the year, I have to watch what I wear to ensure that my rough, red, itchy skin isn't exposed. I have to be careful about the fiber content of my clothing as well - all-cotton is best, as it's breathable and gentle on my skin.

My case of eczema, while not debilitating, is something that I have struggled with my whole life, so when I heard about the La Roche-Posay 100 Families initiative, I wanted to find out more. 

Last year, in an effort to improve the lives of those with sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay organized the “100 Families” - a program to follow families with children suffering from eczema and to provide them with the education necessary to better manage their eczema, as well as free Lipikar products. The Lipikar product line is designed for dry and eczema-prone skin and is especially adapted for children and infants - something I wish had been around when I was a young child.

So this spring, La Roche-Posay Canada wants to, again, put children at the heart of their Facebook contest, by asking kids suffering from dry skin and eczema to draw what an “Itch-Free Day” looks like!

La Roche-Posay Facebook fans will vote for their favorite drawing and a jury will then select the winning drawing among the top 10. The artist will win a selection of La Roche-Posay products and will see his or her drawing on a limited edition Lipikar Baume AP container, released in October 2013.

I'm excited to see the creative works of art by all of the little participants. If you have a child suffering from dry skin or eczema, consider entering the contest. And, if not, you can still participate by voting on your favourite drawing and supporting all of the kids who dream of itch-free days.  :)

To find out more about La Roche-Posay Lipikar products, visit their website. You can also find them on Twitter - @larocheposayca / #itchfreeday.

 

Fancy Nancy Party DIY

My daughter loves books... and one of her favourite characters is Fancy Nancy. If you've never heard of her, you should check out her books! She is an amazingly bright little girl who loves butterflies, speaking French (everything sounds fancier in French!) and dressing up - the more accessories, the better. My daughter is very much like Nancy, so when it came time to decide on a theme for her birthday party, Fancy Nancy was the perfect choice.