Welcome to The Great Mystery Box Giveaway! Brought to you by your hosts: Did You Know Canada, The Knit Wit by Shair, Maple Leaf Mommy and Talking Momcents.

These awesome bloggers, along with some spectacular affiliates (*cough cough* including me) have worked together to give you a chance to win one of four themed boxes, each filled with awesome goodies and mysterious prizes! There is over ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in prizes to be won here!!  This is possibly the largest giveaway I have been involved with!

You, my dear reader, have the opportunity to win goods split up into four themed mystery boxes,with a little something for everyone….

The four themed Mystery Boxes are:

Baby - think new born up to year. (estimated value $200)

Kids – toys, clothes and other assorted treasures. (estimated value $220)

Health & Beauty – lotions, potions and other related goodies. (estimated value $330)

Box of Intrigue – Mystery, Suspense, Intrigue! (estimated value $310)

---

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Okay, technically it was yesterday, the 10th of May.

I’m not sure what made me publish my first public blog on my Father’s birthday last year, but I did and it has been a year since I first pondered what I should call this little blog of mine.

I had no idea where it was heading or who it would reach.

I had no idea it would even last this long.

I didn’t even know what a product review was.  I’d never written fiction in my life.

I had no clue how to use Twitter – and WordPress, Pinterest?  What was that?

Facebook was for stalking my long, lost friends from high school who have been scattered all throughout the globe.

My laptop was only used for schoolwork and random internet research.

Skype was to contact my family members when I was lonely.

Man,  has that changed.  My blog has opened up so many opportunities for me.

I’ve gone to events that I used to look at jealously while I was in school (hello Blissdom Opening Party at CBC), I’ve met celebrities and business owners that I admire, I’ve interacted with some of the strongest women I’ve ever met in my life, I’ve learnt more than I ever wished to about the internet, HTML, Graphics and setting up a webpage and I’ve become someone that people actually want to listen to!

I’ve learnt so much about industries and products that I didn’t know before; gluten free living (always a learning curve!), lingerie and proper lingerie fittings, mental health issues, how to write a more intriguing fictional piece, how to push yourself to the limit, how industries work, how PR firms work, a little about marketing.

My blog has indeed been a learning experience, and I know that there is no way any of this would have happened if you didn’t come here every once in a while to say hello.

So, because I know you’re  here again, to reward you for being such a loyal blog follower, to celebrate my one year blogiversary and even to celebrate the fact that in less than two months I’ll be living with my husband again…..I decided to do a repeat of one of your favourite giveaways.

Can you guess which one?

Remember Only One Jewellery?  Remember my first Only One Jewellery Giveaway?  That’s right, the glass cabachon necklace?  Well, Only One Jewellery has agreed to celebrate with me and is giving away an amazing glass cabachon necklace, similar to the one in the photograph in any colour you want.

So all you have to do is join up with the rafflecopter form below.

Did you prefer something else from her site?  Well, never fear, Only One Jewellery did think of that.

For the month of May, she is offering you, the Bewildered Bug fan, a $10 off any purchase over $40 (all in Canadian dollars) on the website with the discount code: BUG10. 

So, if you are not a fan of her glass cabachon necklaces, but love her crocheted silver bracelets, for example, you still can get a little prize for being a loyal reader!

So thank you very much my dear, for visiting and showing me all the love you have in the past year.  I hope to hear from you again for the rest of the time this blog is alive.

I sincerely appreciate all the support.

This giveaway is open worldwide and ends on May 26, 2012.  Usual contest rules apply.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hi guys, I’m guest posting over at This Lil Piglet about a spectacular Canadian-based program called Cadbury’s Bicycle Factory.

This program donates bicycles to children in Ghana to help make their lives easier. To do this post, I even got the opportunity to interview Heather Moyse, the Canadian gold medalist in bobsledding, who has now become a cyclist. Heather has graciously become the ambassador for the Cadbury’s Bicycle Factory and she has a lot to say about it!

I would tell you all about it, but I’ve already done so in the guest post, so go on over and check it out…..oh and by the way, if you love chocolate and Cadbury’s products, there’s a little extra incentive (hint hint giveaway) after the post!

When my husband was around, and when I was still eating gluten, we used to go out almost every weekend.  We would look up and try new restaurants as often as we could, and Toronto certainly has a lot of them to try!   I would find a little place hidden in the mass of commercialism that is downtown Toronto, we would make a reservation and were usually pleasantly surprised with the food and ambiance of the smallest, least known restaurants.  In fact, personally, I tended to prefer the no-name restaurants to the big, famous, fancy ones.

Since I went gluten-free I don’t eat out as much, though, and since my husband left for the UK last year September, I’ve not gone out much at all.  This is why I was so happy to get an opportunity to have a tasting dinner at the Indian Rice Factory with five other fabulous Toronto based bloggers.

I happened to catch a tweet from the Indian Rice Factory about wine made in India – and since my husband and I consider ourselves a bit of wine connoisseurs, I decided to ask about it.  I had never heard about Indian wine and was intrigued.

This is how I met Aman Patel, the owner of the Toronto legend, Indian Rice Factory.  You may not have heard about it, but Indian Rice Factory is actually about 42 years old and has been treating Toronto foodies to authentic and well-made Indian dishes for the entire time.  Originally opened by Aman’s mother, Mrs. Amar Patel (now deceased, R.I.P.), Indian Rice Factory has stayed open through almost half a century of Toronto history and remains a successful and exciting restaurant to be discovered.

It’s face has changed a bit physically, as it has had to grow with the times, just as we all do.  The food, however, the food remains authentic and delicious and the atmosphere remains friendly and welcoming.  Aman and his wife Deepa do a spectacular job of keeping their customers satiated and entertain in true Indian style.  You do not feel as if you are walking into a business place, but rather, get the impression of being welcomed into someone’s home.

This is not to say that the restaurant itself is not professionally done.  The decor is modern and fresh and nothing at all like most of the other Indian restaurants around the city that tend to be dark, brooding and slightly depressing.  The artwork on the walls include originals done by anglo-Indian artistes, family heirloom pieces and personal photographs of the Patel family (mostly taken by Aman).

Indian Rice Factory has a spectacularly intriguing menu, with treats that you will not see in other Indian restaurants around Toronto.  The food is made from the freshest ingredients, many of them organic and is spiced perfectly so that you get the flavour without overbearing heat.  I have to thank Aman, because when he said he was going to do a tasting menu for us, I expected one or two plates.  Instead, he surprised us with a bountiful banquet of almost his entire menu.  He also matched two spectacular wines and a  high end sake with the plates he presented to us.  That’s right.  Sake.

Aman believes that you should get a holistic experience when you go to his restaurant, and he does not allow himself to be kept back by outdated, traditional concepts of food and alcohol pairings.  This is why he offers only the best alcoholic beverages he can find to compliment the flavours of his food.  He does not stick to the red wine with red meat mantra, but instead picks and chooses what alcohols would best suit a specific dish, not conforming to the typical and allowing himself the freedom of being able to choose from a wide variety of wineries from a huge demographic (including high end sake and indian wine for example!).

Also, I felt right at home in Aman and Deepa’s company, they were very pleasant hosts and graciously were able to accomodate all (and you know there are many!) food allergies by making dairy free versions of some dishes, and even adding one extra bread dish that was gluten free for me to try.

So, on behalf of Toronto foodies and any foodies that choose to visit Toronto any time within the next few years, thank you Aman and Deepa and all the staff at Indian Rice Factory for offering us the inspired experience of true Indian entertaining and for welcoming us into your family.

As for the meal that we were served, please see the following list for some of the dishes that Aman served us during our tasting *cough* banquet *cough*.  Also, please see my comments in italics next to my favourite items

STARTERS

crab cakes
papadam plate
chappli kebab – *drool* I think I need to go back just for these!
arbi tikki
pakora
goan vindaloo sausage

MAINS

tandoori fish (daily fresh sea bream) – So yummy!  One of my favourites but I didn’t get a photo sorry   Was too busy eating.
shakari maas (local, conscientiously raised, hormone & antibiotic free beef)
butter chicken
choti murgi (fresh cornish hen) – Usually I don’t like cornish hen, but this was really yummy!
lamb toronto (lamb with smooth spinach curry) – Lamb is another favourite of mine – and this lamb was spectacular!
guar - Possibly the most original and spectacular vegetable I’ve ever had.  I must find out more about this – and figure out how to cook it myself!
petha (asian pumpkin) – Pumpkin is always a crowd pleaser – and this version definitely did not disappoint!
chicken biryani two ways – I love biryani – brings back so many memories of university days!
pilao rice (lactose free) - I’ve never had such good rice.  I took the leftovers home (it was the only thing I insisted on having.  I let the others enjoy the rest of the leftovers!)

SIDES

naan (plain)
masala naan
garlic naan
raita
mint chutney

DRINKS

red wine: andeluna 2010 malbec, mendoza, argentina - I’m a red wine lover – and this was no disappointment!
white wine: silvio carta 2009 badde alva vermentino di sardegna, italy
gekkeikan black & gold junmai ginjo sake, california, usa - I usually  hate sake but this one had no burn and barely any bitter aftertaste.  I would actually drink this!

 

I think that in the modern day, there is not a single person who has not been directly or indirectly affected by cancer.

For me, the latest event that I’ve gone through with cancer is that my Uncle, who used to be an adamant and unforgiving smoker, found out he had bladder cancer about a year ago.  Last year December he had an operation to create and install a neo-bladder.  The operation, thank God went well and he is cancer free as far as we know today.

Not everyone is so lucky.

Similarly, my Nascar-loving, crazy-knitting-lady friend. Shari, from the blog, The Knit Wit by Shair, recently learnt that her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and that she has to undergo chemotherapy.

If you’ve ever heard anything about chemotherapy, you know that you tend to lose your hair during the process.  Shari decided to knit some caps for her mother, so that she could keep her head warm during the therapy.  She is a knitter after all.

Then she decided to take it a step further – she is making “Chemo Caps” and selling them in an effort to “Cap Cancer” – with all proceeds going towards cancer research.  She is so generous and has such a huge heart that she has taken her personal tragedy and extended it to help all of you.  So I am asking you to please hop on over to her site and support her, by purchasing a cap or two, saying hello and telling her what a great job she is doing, some encouraging words for her or for her mother or even by donating some yarn or knitting materials to help her cover her costs.

Think about if one of your loved ones was diagnosed and needed chemotherapy.  Wouldn’t you want someone to be doing something proactively in the same manner so that the chances of your loved one being cured improves drastically?  It’s sort of a do unto others type of thing…..and God will bless you for it.

So, what are you waiting for?  Hop on over to her site, browse her store, find your favourite and help cure cancer.

Many of you may remember that last year September, I got the opportunity to review the Soccer Night Light from 3DLightFX.  I had thought it was such a fun night light and that it would even be perfect for a “man’s room” with three of them placed right over the bar.

The sticker that made the wall look cracked and the design of the light that made the soccer ball look like it was kicked and wedged into the wall completely sold me.  In my review, and in an email to the company, I told them that it would be amazing if they did different types of sports paraphenalia that you could line up – so that maybe you could have a soccer ball, a basket ball and a foot ball or something all in one line – a set of three.

Well 3DLightFX does not disappoint.

They now carry these night lights in different types of sports paraphenalia – and they could not have picked better choices for Canadians!  The 3dlightFX Deco Night Light now comes in not just the soccer ball, but also a basketball, a set of two baseballs or a set of two hockey pucks (go Leafs!  Okay okay I know they suck, but I am a Torontonian )!  These are perfect for the little (or not so little) sports fanatic in your life, and are super affordable at $19.97 at Walmart in Canada or on 3DLightFX.com

I got the opportunity to try the hockey puck light.  I chose this because I have these two nephews in England, where I’m moving in September, who are sports fanatics.  One loves soccer (so guess what he’s getting soon) and one loves hockey (so convenient!).  They’re both getting some decorations for their rooms.

The hockey pucks are a bit different from the soccer ball light.  They still come with the sticker that will help your installation look all the more realistic, and they still look fantastically realistic in appearance.  The hockey pucks come in a realistically sized pair and are directional, whereas the soccer light came as a realistically sized ball but was a general night light rather than directional.  This is not to say that you can’t use the hockey pucks as a general night light, but when it is lit, the light comes out from one side of the puck and points downwards once it is installed.

Of course, this was when my Interior Design trained brain kicked in and thought, wouldn’t it be awesome if you were able to flip it so that you have a really cool UP-light in the bedroom?  Unfortunately, the way it is designed, this can’t be done, but I know 3dLightFX listens to their consumers, so maybe just maybe the next set of lights will be multi-directional to help you create awesome shadowing and texture with light on your wall.

The hockey pucks seem very durable – I haven’t had any problems (of course I haven’t thrown them off my balcony, but why would you do that?), easy to install, work by remote control and take 3 AAA batteries each.  They use LED lights, so you will not be replacing the bulbs very quickly (FYI – LED means Light Emitting Diode and are usually more expensive bulbs but let out a whiter and purer light and have a longer life span – sorry Interior Design training kicking in again)

The directional light feature of the hockey pucks mean that you can use these lights as task lights as well.  Put them above a light switch so that you can walk into the dark room and find it more easily.  Light up part of a desk so that you can find items quickly and without turning on the overhead lights.  Put it over a night stand or by a bed to have a small, unobtrusive bedside lamp for night time reading.  Yes, together they are bright enough (in my opinion anyway).

All in all, 3DLightFx has done it again and I cannot wait to see what else they come up with!

I can’t wait to give these lights to my nephews – they will adore them.  In fact, when we finally purchase our house, maybe I’ll purchase a few of these to surprise the Luv Luv- what do you think?  A wall of hockey pucks sounds like a born and bred Canadian’s dream doesn’t it?

 

I never thought I’d be comfortable taking my top off for a stranger, yet when I had my Skype fitting with Claire, I was extremely comfortable doing just that.  She was able to make me feel as if taking my shirt off was something that I could do anytime, anywhere on the street and that no one would notice.  No, I didn’t just find some random person on Skype and start stripping – Claire offered me a Skype bra fitting, something she spends a lot of her time doing for her clients.

I was extremely comfortable with her, had a pleasant conversation and was able to get spectacular and knowledgeable advice on fitting my bras, measuring myself for a proper fitting bra and on the societal stigma about boobs in general.  I also had a really good time, one of the most enjoyable evenings I’ve had at home in a long time, even though I really didn’t do anything different.  Thank you Claire for a spectacular and informative evening.

I’m so pleased to introduce Claire from Butterfly Collection Lingerie, a website that specializes in lingerie for women from D – K cups (that do not look like straigh jackets!).  Claire is the brainchild behind the business and even dabbles a bit in blogging.  She is adamant about wearing the proper type and size bras and has a lot to say about the societal view of boobs.  Butterfly Collection Lingerie offers quality products, friendly advice and comfortable suggestions as to how to improve the look, comfort and health of your breasts.

A true advocate for women, I thought you’d like to hear Claire’s thoughts on fitting bras, starting a business on her own and on boobs in general.  This post is therefore in the form of an interview – straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak (no that’s not an insult – that’s an actual saying), here are Claire’s answers to a few questions I came up with for her…..

************************************************

1) Butterfly Collection is your brainchild.  What prompted you to start this business?

When I moved to Vancouver from the UK in 2004 I couldn’t find a single bra in my size in downtown Vancouver. I was used to buying large cup bras online back in the UK so I went online to find the Canadian equivalent and there wasn’t a single company specializing in bras for D-K cup women. That was the beginning of creating a solution that would eventually become Butterfly Collection which launched in 2010.

I never imagined I would be a big bra lady! When I was 9 I thought I was going to be Prime Minister and even wrote to Margaret Thatcher to tell her how she could solve the ambulance strike that was happening at the time! I’m sure I was a great help to her

The biggest service we offer is knowledge. Lots of women get fitted for a bra and still don’t feel like they understand what size they are or why that bra fits them. We give our clientele as many resources and support as possible to understand their breasts, size and which styles of bras work for them. I want women to know their boobs and feel in control of them.

We have lingerie from the UK, American, Canada and Germany and Japan. I particularly love UK brand Panache because they are so passionate about bringing more size selection and better price ranges to North American women.

You’ve heard the statistic that 85% of women are in the wrong bra, well that’s largely because most stores don’t carry band sizes from a 28 and cup sizes up to a K cup so they sell bras to women with bigger bands than are good for them. Cups get bigger as the band gets bigger, for example, the D cup on a 38 band has a bigger cup volume than a D cup on a 30 band. The biggest problem I come across is women in bras that are huge in the band and only a DD cup in the band – this always says ‘quick sale’ to me and makes me mad that women have been misled.

It breaks my heart. Besides carrying around extra physical weight in their bras, many women are carrying around heaps of mental baggage about their breasts. Big boobs do not dictate a single thing about who you are but social stereotypes (like big boobs make you a bimbo, or easy or a show-off) can wound and undermine bigger busted women. The size of your breasts is as arbitrary as your shoe size and yet we attach all these crippling social and moral meanings to them. Large breasts need to be properly supported and cared for, that includes you embracing your body, ignoring the shallow, ignorant stereotypes and being proud of yourself.

There have been times in my life when I’ve wondered if I’m just ‘the busty one’. My best friend at school was very slim and small chested, she could wear anything and was very confident. I sometimes felt like the bumbling, busty sidekick, but I think part of that was just being an awkward teenager too. I am incredibly fortunate that I have a very busty Mum and Grandmother who both taught me to stand tall, treat derogatory comments with pity and be grateful that I have a healthy body.

I would love Canadian and American women everywhere to know that they have choices and support. So many women feel isolated and they don’t need to. I hope to see a massive shift in the approach to bra fitting across the world in the next 10 years. We have to stop putting women in huge bands just so we can keep them in the A-D paradigm. 26, 28, 30 and 32 bands need to become standard and cups up to an L should be readily available.

You should always get remeasured once a year but if you experience, weight loss or gain, illness, depression, pregnancy or menopause then you should get measured again. If your busty readers do nothing else they should wrap a fabric tape measure around their ribcage and make a note of that number. If a fitter tries to put you in a band that is more than 3 inches bigger than your ribcage measurement – RUN FOR THE HILLS! The key to measuring yourself at home is to keep the tape measure level with the ground all the way around your body. Make sure you’re wearing your best fitting, non-padded bra.

HAHA! I don’t really notice that women don’t have their tops on. I’m usually looking at things like your breast bone, armpits and torso, the telltale signs of whether your bra fits.

The single thing I wish for every woman regardless of breast size, or even having breasts, is to remember that you are unique and worth caring for. We so often forget to care for ourselves before others and getting your body into a bra that works for you is a really great start.

************************************************************

Claire is an amazing woman, spectacularly funny, wonderfully friendly and amazingly intelligent – and extremely generous by the way.  She has decided that to reward you for reading this blog, to celebrate you embracing your bust and for celebrating Mothers’ Day (wow so many things to celebrate!), she is offering you, my readers, a discount code for 20% off of anything on her website.

You just have to type the word “BUTTERBUG20” (without the apostrophes) into the checkout form (min. $50 CA purchase, one coupon per person).  It is valid until May 14th, 2012.

Oh, and if you feel like saying hello to Claire, or wish to discuss anything that may have been sparked from this interview, please feel free to say hello to her on Twitter or on her Facebook page.

 

 

Please welcome Karen Barnes from bedbugs.org with some advice on how to keep your home safely bed-bug free!

Are you interested in learning how to rid your home of bed bugs without using chemicals? There are a number of ways that you can handle these nasty pests in your home that are non-toxic and eco-friendly.

1. Vacuum

The quickest way to get rid of bed bugs is to thoroughly vacuum those locations where they are likely to be found. Using your vacuum attachments, you will want to go over the mattress, the sheets and pillowcases, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. Carefully dispose of vacuum bags so that you do not re-infest your home.

2. Wash bed linens weekly

You will want to wash your bedding at least once a week in the hottest water that can be used. Dry your bedding on the hottest setting possible in the dryer, as bed bugs do not like heat.

3. Let in air

Bed bugs thrive on CO2. If you open the windows and let in the fresh air, it will dispel the CO2 that has built up in the room. Your home will not be such a welcoming environment to these insects if you dispense of CO2 in this way.

4. Steam bed bugs away

Since bed bugs hate heat, anything that uses heat will help to get rid of them. Use a steamer in your home where feasible, getting into areas where bed bugs congregate.

5. Eliminate clutter

You may not realize it, but clutter not only looks unappealing, it provides a place for bed bugs to hide. By removing clutter, you will be eliminating areas that bed bugs can convert into their homes.

6. Use dry ice

Put dry ice in a dog dish and cover the outside with pieces of cloth that bed bugs can climb. You will be able to catch the nasty critters in this way. They will go into the dog dish to get to the CO2 provided there, but they will not be able to get out again. Just make certain your dog will not want to investigate the dish and come into contact with the bed bugs that are located there.

7. Try diatomaceous earth

This type of earth is considered organic and is a deterrent to bed bugs and a number of other pests. It can be used in an organic garden and is also used inside as long as it is kept dry. Diatomaceous earth can be bought at a number of locations, including home improvement stores and gardening centers.

8. Use soapy water cans

By placing the legs of your bed into cans of soapy water, you can prevent bed bugs from climbing into the bed itself. You may also want to coat the legs of furniture with petroleum jelly, another way to prevent bed bugs from climbing.

Bed bugs are a nuisance that can cause itchy, nasty bites and can cause allergic reactions. You will want to do what you can to rid your home of these insects and keep them from returning. By using some of the tips listed above, you will have eco-friendly ways to get rid of these pests once and for all.

Please feel free to visit Karen Barnes at www.bedbugs.org for some useful photos of bed bugs and advice on how to get rid of these nasty pests. Karen uses some of these tips as preventative measures to keep bed bugs out of her home in the first place, and believes it’s possible to use eco-friendly methods to deal with them, without resorting to chemical treatments.