U.S.E.D. Recycled Seatbelt Bags

When I was a young raver (I don't want to tell you how long ago that was) the coolest thing to buy was the recycled seatbelt belt. Everyone, but me, had one. Over the last couple of years I have been forwarded this website from many of my friends that live in southern Manitoba. U.S.E.D. takes the recycled seat belts to a new level. They are a family run business that recycles old seat belts into bags & accessories of all sorts, including the classic seatbelt belt. U.S.E.D. creates fashionable handbags, totes, school bags, and shoulder bags. They are so well designed that no one would suspect that they are made from vehicle cast aways.

Find U.S.E.D. bags that are made from 100% recycled seatbelts at:

www.recycledseatbelts.ca

Little Bakery on the Prairie

Tall Grass Prairie has been the go to place for fresh bread and baked goods in Wolseley forever. They not only bake everything on site but they grind their own flours from local grains, offer yeast free and other allergy sensitive food, sell local Bothwell cheese, jams, and knit wear, and make the best cinnamon buns anywhere. Not only are these cinnamon buns delicious but they are made from whole wheat flour and they will hand over the recipe to you if you ask for it. They know that you will keep coming back for theirs because their grains are ground daily so your home made ones will still not compare to their jewels. In the last couple of years they have opened a second location in The Forks that offers all sorts of things that the small location in Wolseley can't currently offer including a small organic grocery, catering, and on site made meals. The Wolseley location is currently closed and will reopen in January because they are currently renovating and adding onto the existing bakery. I am excited to see what new things they will offer in my neighborhood.

To me, other than the cinnamon buns of course, the NEED to have items are their whole wheat multi grain bread, wild rice bread, their own cold pressed sunflower oil, and their cheese croissants. Yum Yum! I am sure that they are the best cheese croissants in the world. They are smokey and buttery. I wish I had one right now to go along with my berry tea.

The only thing that they make that doesn't do it for me are their muffins. I think they are a little healthy tasting and my toddler won't eat them. I like them slathered with butter but what isn't delicious slathered with butter. My friend Nadine makes way better healthy muffins and she hides all sorts of crazy veggies in hers. This is of course is just my opinion and I am sure there are lovers of them or they wouldn't be making them. ;)

Tall Grass Prairie is a super place to stop for outings of all sorts. You could pick up a nice hostess gift, a cake, or a dozen of their folk fest cookies for the kiddies. They will even make vegan and allergy sensitive birthday cakes and treats. Give them a call for your next function.

I sadly....oh so sadly missed my friends wedding last year. Not only did I miss watching her walk down the aisle but I missed a meal catered by Tall Grass Prairie. I mourn that day still. I was lucky to have been at a function at our local community club where Tall Grass Prairie catered part of the breakfast. Yummy mini-cinnamon buns and other treats. That was a pleasant surprise.

Just get on your bike and ride to Tall Grass Prairie right now. I don't care if it is 2 in the morning. It is worth the wait, and depending on where you are coming from you may have a long bike ride there anyways. :D

Check them out here if you are too lazy to ride over there now:

www.tallgrassbakery.ca

Bon Appetite!

Paintings by Serena Wilson Stubson

I always like to know the life behind the art. I took an art history class in university but i found that just looking at art didn't do it for me. I want to know the history behind the artist. Serena Wilson Stubson is the artist behind the art at Heavens Earth. She has a great self description on her etsy site so instead of thinking it up on my own I am being lazy tonight and using hers.

"I'm a mixed media artist living in Winnipeg Manitoba, with my husband, baby boy, two dogs and a cat.

I've loved art all my life, but have never studied it professionally. I'm constantly inspired by the world around me, anything organic, life at twilight, fruits, flowers, weeds and living 'green' - yes, being green is very inspirational! A common element in my work is rich textures created through my own style of painted collage. I'm not afraid of color and can't seem to get enough of it in my paintings. I also incorporate a wide variety of printed, handmade, vintage and imported papers into my pieces. Aside from painted collage, I also have a passion for photography and can always be found with a camera of some sort on hand."


Serena's art can be viewed online.

Heavens Earth Etsy site:

http://HeavensEarth.etsy.com

Serena's blog:

http://serenawilsonstubson.blogspot.com/

My favorite part of Serena's bright coloured paintings are the textures. I love texture in art. It is one what made Van Gogh Van Gogh. I love that Serena experiments with different papers and canvases. She also makes art feel vintage when she makes it into pendants and magnets. I think her paintings would look lovely in so many of my friend's homes. It feels alive and organic (I do realize that both mean about the same thing but it is what I feel when I look at her work). She has made it easy to own her pieces by offering originals and prints. Have a look at her sites above and be prepared to smile at the energy in her work.

Websites to Help Your Creative Mind & a Site to Sell Your Handmade Treasures

I think handmade gifts are the best. If you have a secret talent there is no reason not to use it for your loved ones. There are so many handy websites that can show you easy gift ideas for friends and families. I especially love the sites that are aimed at children's gifts. Babies, toddlers, and young children do not ever need a big box store toy. There are so many individuals making children's toys & clothes. My favorite not so local site is www.etsy.com. Etsy features the most beautiful items i have seen anywhere and there are many Manitoban artisans who have online etsy stores. Etsy is amazing because anyone with a talent can sell their art online. I would suggest any talented artisans check it out and think about selling your goods nationally or globally with Etsy.

Some handy how to sites for your Christmas gifts:

Make Baby Stuff

Gifts in a Jar

Dollar Store Crafts

Ikat Bag

Jan Andrea at Home (Awesome Awesome site for baby stuff including baby slings)

Scandi Mei Tai Tutorial (A great tutorial to make baby carrier/sling)

Make Baby Toys

Inhabitat Green Gift Guide

Craftbits

Craftster

Do It Yourself Gift Ideas

www.pickingupthreads.com

Secret Garden Soap Co

While at the Assiniboine Downs Farmers Market I bought a few soaps on impulse. I always have to buy something other than veggies and I wasn't in the mood for a cupcake. Jennifer Tinley-Braun from Secret Garden Soap Company made them here in Winnipeg. I have very sensitive skin and eczema on my hands so I typically do not buy soap from vendors but there was a $2 basket so I couldn't say no. I bought one new soap and one from the $2 basket. The soaps I bought from her are very nice and mild. Normally just holding a bar of soap in the shower burns my eczema and this one feels like nothing. It is fabulous. The soaps use a combination of olive oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, essential oil, and botanicals. You have to read the labels especially if you are a vegetarian because some of them are made with lard. She had dozens of different types of soap featuring many ingredients and scents. I would recommend it especially if you have sensitive skin or eczema. The soap in the $2 basket smelt old so I am guessing that is why it was $2. We are a little thrifty around here so of course we have it in our shower right now anyways. It is just as nice as the other but has a faint old oil smell that fortunately does not make me smell like old oil.

There are many neat local soap makers worth checking out at the craft fairs so you do not have to shop the giant soap businesses. Local soap makers create bars that look good and have less fillers and ingredients. I never use any non local soaps. Why when there is so much talent out here? I will do other blog entries on the larger local soap makers later in the month who have store fronts to purchase their yummy products in case you can't make it to the soap fairs. I am sure if you want to buy from Jennifer you could contact her by email or phone.

I could not find a website but this is the description I found about Secret Garden Soap Company on www.hotfrog.com:
The Secret Garden Soap Co.

The Secret Garden Soap Co., located in Winnipeg, Manitoba,takes pride in creating a very special selection of all natural homemade soaps. Each batch is carefully measured and tended to with great care. Our handmade, kettle cooked soaps are unlike any commercial soaps. In commercially made soap the glycerin (a natural by-product of the soap making process) is removed, making commercial soaps very drying. Bars from The Secret Garden Soap Co. are made from pure organic oils in various combinations, which include olive, canola, flax, almond, coconut, palm, soybean, and vitamin E oils. Other ingredients are cocoa butter, and fresh spring water. Depending on the particular soap, additives to the recipes may include honey, clays, herbs, spices, grains, and pure, high quality essential oils. The weight of each bar varies depending on the ingredients used, butnormally each is approximately5-6 oz. when first cut and a just a bit less when they are done curing. Our natural homemade soaps contain no preservatives and should be used within 12 months of purchase. For longer lasting soaps,allowthem to be exposed to air and let soap dry out between uses in a well drained soap dish. All products from the Secret Garden Soap Co. are biodegradable, never tested on animals and use a minimal amount of environmentally friendly packaging.

The Secret Garden Soap Co.
204-795-8402
p: 204-795-8402
secretgardensoapco@shaw.ca

Baby Booty Cloth Diaper Shop & Glimpse Reviews

Winkler is located about an hour and a half from Winnipeg. There is a little in home shop that sells primarily Canadian made diapers and diaper accessories, specializing in organic and good quality diapers. I know this is Handmade in Manitoba not Canadian Diapers but she does sell locally made diaper wet bags and baby wipe wet bags. I have bought 2 large wet bags and I use them instead of a diaper pail. It is a way smarter idea than a diaper pail because it is pretty, hangs on the door, holds in odors, and can be thrown right in the wash with the diapers. I never have to bleach it or scrub it down to get out the odors and waste. No one even knows that it has a batch of smelly diapers in it because it is made out of nice modern fabric that goes with my washroom. I never get why people would want baby logos or animals on everything that contains baby stuff; like those terrible baby bags that moms all over used to carry around with teddy bear prints or little animals. You can still be a woman when you have a child. Ugh...but that is another story to save for another day when i find some awesome local baby bag maker to gush over. Hmmmm...doesn't Lily Pad make baby bags??...I seem to recall they do.

Back to Baby Booty. Stacey also has a blog with two other women here on blogger called Glimpse and they review Canadian products with giveaways and all that. If you are wondering what is new and cool for you and your baby keep up with their blog.

http://glimpse-reviews.blogspot.com/

So check Stacey out there and order some diaper bags for your next baby shower!

Shop is located:
187 8th Street South, Winkler
(204)325-9366

Winnipeg's Sling Sisters Wraps and Slings

Another thing that you may not know about me is how I LOVE slings and baby carriers. I do not mean the sad cases that somehow make it big like the Bjorns and such. I mean beautiful and back loving slings like the mei tais, ring slings, pouch slings, and the well made soft carriers. I was suckered in once with a Bjorn I saw some movie star using when I was all but a virgin baby wearer but I have grown and I am not looking back.

A sister dual is making beautiful baby wearing devices here in Manitoba. They make beautiful wraps and pouch slings. Their bamboo wrap fabric is also milled in Canada. They have donated a sling and a wrap to my Winnipeg Babywearers group so we can lend them out to our members. You can glance upon their beautiful local made slings and wraps on their blog:

www.theslingsisters.blogspot.com

They also have been making wet bags to store wet diapers, bathing suits, heck anything you don't want dripping all inside your purse. They are very handy to have around and great baby shower or Christmas gifts.

I recommend that if you are deciding to pick up one of those big name brand carriers for a mommy to be I would suggest you look here first. Instead of buying her a back breaking expensive carrier or some carrier with octopus padded arms that wrap around you 10,000 times buy her something beautiful where she can bond with her baby. Don't buy her something that is worn by some paid movie star. All eyes will stop on her and she can be the star instead. ;)

They have an online shop:

www.theslingsisters.net

Sling Sisters slings and wraps can be purchased at these online retailers:

Tiny Tree Hugger Diapers
A Tall Giraffe

As well as these local retail stores in Winnipeg:

Bug N Boo: 845 Dakota (across from St. Vital Mall)
Hempyrean: at The Forks

***Remember that baby slings are not just for the baby. Skip the
teddy bears and pastel prints. Stand out with the new must have accessory...your baby in one hot looking sling.