{ Posts Tagged ‘gifts’ }

have you checked out the new indigo website?

indigo web3 have you checked out the new indigo website?
When the new Indigo website launched about two weeks ago, a handful of us over here at our offices spent a long time checking things out. (I won’t say how long, lest certain people get the idea that we weren’t working, but technically, it was all in the name of research.)

If you’ve checked out the website pre-launch, you’re sure to notice the difference immediately. The new design is simple but beautiful and it’s super-easy to navigate, making buying books for yourself or gifts for others a breeze. The folks from Indigo gave us a tour of the website this afternoon and these are some of the new elements I’m most excited about:

indigo web1 have you checked out the new indigo website?
The new design: The website features bigger, more beautiful images and is way more visually appealing than before. It’s inspiring – if you don’t know what you’re looking for, just spend a few minutes surfing around. You’re bound to find that perfect something.

Greater product selection: There’s way more stuff than just books. I love the GIFTS section.

Debit card shopping: Apparently they’ve offered this service for over a year, but I had no idea you could pay with your debit card. Cool!

Birthday reminder service: Enter in important birthdays to remember and you’ll be sent an email reminder and gift ideas via email.

I’ve always been a big fan of Indigo, both in-store and online and the new website is fantastic. I see myself getting a lot of my Christmas shopping done online at chapters.indigo.ca this year!

holiday gift wrap accessories

I just blogged about pretty Christmas cards and thought that while I’m at it, I may as well share our favourite gift wrap accessories, too! Below are four accessories that’ll make your parcels pretty this holiday season. Check out the full story for more ideas and availability information.

giftwrap ideas 1 holiday gift wrap accessories

pistachio stationery

epistachio pistachio stationery
It`s been a while since I blogged about one of my favourite things — pretty paper. Today`s selection is from Pistachio. They`ve got a small but beautiful collection of paper products (cards, wrapping paper and invitations) and gorgeous gifts and apothecary items. Best of all, the products are made with an effort to preserve the planet.

Their mission: “The story of Pistachio began with a simple idea — being generous, environmentally sensitive and engaged with life is good for us and good for the planet.

Pistachio is about creating, using, and reusing things intelligently, about wasting less, and about putting good things into and onto our bodies.

We embrace the idea that being environmentally caring doesn`t mean denying, abandoning or refusing the things we love, but rather designing, developing and using products in more informed, eco-friendly ways.”

Love these gorgeous cards and wrapping paper. Check out epistachio.com for more information.

For more great decorating and design ideas, follow me on Twitter!

mother’s day gift ideas

mothersday mothers day gift ideasThe most thoughtful gifts are the ones that come from the heart. While our ideas may cost you some time, they won`t cost you a lot of money. This Mother`s Day, surprise mom with something unexpected. Plant her a summer garden patch or perhaps host an afternoon high tea for her and some of her friends. Need more ideas? Check out the full story: Mother`s Day gifts under $25.

(The fab teapot, mugs and plates picture here are from Rosanna Inc.)

P.S. Follow me on Twitter!

jenni bick stationery

jennibick notepad jenni bick stationeryIt`s been a while since I`ve blogged about one of my favourite things: stationery! In recent years, I admit I`ve become a bit of a tech junkie; if you`re one, too, check out Lauren McPhillips` blog Tech Style. I love my little gadgets like my laptop, BlackBerry and iPod Touch. But even still, I love the tactile nature of notebooks and journals. I love feeling the smooth cover of a beautiful diary beneath my fingers and flipping through the pages of an old agenda book. So, despite being pretty nicely outfitted with gadgets, I still find myself turning to the old standbys of pen and paper to record important things. My newest find are these lovely products from Jenni Bick.  Featuring an assortment of journals, photo albums, specialty papers, invitations and gift-wrap, this site is a paper lover`s treasure trove. jenni bick journal jenni bick stationeryTwo of my favourites are pictured here. Snow & Graham sticky note blocks (above) are $14.50 each and the Moderno Italian bonded leather journals (right) in pretty spring colours are $25 each.

For more information, visit jennibick.com.

You might also be interested in:

Organizing 101: Stationery
This primer on organizing stationery makes staying connected with friends and family easy.

Pretty paper
Revive the art of hand-written letters with lovely stationery.

Flower invitations, menus and placecards
Download our free flower invitations, menus, and place cards!

How to: Organize your home office
Designer tricks for turning your home office into an attractive and efficient workspace.

P.S. Follow me on Twitter!

gift guide: snow broom

twinter 21 gift guide: snow broomOh, Dad… Perennially, the hardest person to shop for at Christmas. Let’s think about the criteria involved: it’s got to be a tool, it’s got to be affordable (lest you get a lecture on how you shouldn’t have spent so much…), and if it makes an onerous job easier on the bod, that’s the icing on the cake. How about this fantastic multitasker from Garant? The innovative Twinter works double-time as a car snowbrush and an outdoor broom: a two-in-one timesaver that makes cleaning steps, around doors and balconies as well as car roofs and windshields a scratch-free cinch! If this winter’s anything like last year’s, I’d act soon on this one — it’s sure to sell out as quickly as sidewalk salt!

Garant’s Twinter Snow Broom

Price: From $20

Available at: Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, RONA

canadian content

cn cities canadian contentMoleskine’s City Notebooks are the “little black book” for the stylish globetrotter. These handsome journals based on design destinations like Paris, London and New York include city-specific maps, ample space for note-taking, conversion charts, and sticky sheets to overlay on maps so that you can trace your route as you go, serving as both a guide AND souvenir of worldly meanderings. The Autumn 2008 Moleskine lineup sees two more Canadian cities included in the series – Toronto and Vancouver, joining the pre-existing Montreal offering –  a sure sign of the increasing recognition Canada’s earning among the world’s top design destinations! Yay us!

Price: $23

Available at: Chapters and Indigo Books & Music, 800-832-7569.

grow an indoor garden

ecogarden1 grow an indoor gardenMourning the passing of summer? Extend the season a little with these indoor growing kits.

From mini peppers, tomatoes, sprouts, herbs and basil to more simply decorative flowers, you’re only limited by the amount of space you have to devote to an indoor garden.

And when summer rolls around again, transplant your garden outdoors into bigger containers on your deck or balcony! People at the Montreal offices where these kits originate say the moonflower vines will grow endlessly and wrap themselves around anything they come into contact with!

Available at: www.seracon.ca

Price: $20

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email Laurie at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

textile art

kellysquilts2 textile art

My friend Kelly Mullan is a super-talented textile artist who turns mostly leftover scraps of fabric, string and yarn into stunning wall hangings, bags and works of art.

I’ve always admired her wonderful sense of colour (her apartment is awash with it), but for the dramatic wall hanging at right she stuck to a unusually neutral palette that showcases the amazing 3D-effect at the centre (I couldn’t quite capture it here due to picture size, but to get a better sense of it, check out Kelly’s website at the address below).

The quilted wall hanging shown at left features a charming embroidered centrepiece typical of the kind you’ll find on Kelly’s smaller embroidered pieces, which are perfect for framing and gift-giving.

Available at: Kelly Mullan Textiles, www.wewillfall.com

Prices: $35 to $500

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email Laurie at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

mighty leaf teas

mighty leaf mighty leaf teasNothing says rest and relaxation more to me than cozying up with a hot cup of tea and as the weekend approaches, I welcome the chance to sit down and unwind. Wrapping my hands around a hot cuppa and inhaling the fresh aroma of a perfectly brewed cup of tea seems to melt my stress away. This tea set from Mighty Leaf is a sweet treat for the tea lover and comes with an assortment of tasty teas to try: Breakfast Americana, Organic Earl Grey, Bombay Chai, Orange Dulce and Vanilla Bean. Mmm! I can just feel myself starting relax! Once you`ve got your mug in hand, start a new tradition with styleathome.com`s guide to teatime etiquette, plus find tips for brewing the perfect cup of tea.

Available online at: mightyleaf.ca

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