New to the Shop this year are these beautiful quilling cards! Quilling is an art form that involves using strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. These cards are a fair trade item from Vietnam. The employees are paid fair wages, and trained for six months as each […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 270 – Dog Bite Steel – Turning garbage into ART! (July 7, 2023)
We had a lot of fun recently going to Dog Bite Steel in Uxbridge to pick out some new pieces! The shelves are now overloaded with these unique pieces made with recycled oil and propane tanks. J.P Schoss designs, cuts, and welds everything by hand and his wife Brenda paints them! Come down to […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 269 -Accessories, butterfly feeders, ant moats and jelly! (June 23, 2023)
Accessories! We have butterfly feeders that can make a great addition to your garden. They drink the same simple syrup with a 4:1 ratio as the hummingbirds and also enjoy sliced overripe fruits. The Birdberry Jelly we carry is also a huge hit with the orioles and other fruit eating birds. Ant moats, which you […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 268 – Father’s Day Gift Ideas (June 9, 2023)
Father’s Day is right around the corner! We have lots of unique gift ideas for all the different Father figures in your life. Only the best – Tilley Hats! We have a few different styles and colors, and you can accessorize with a Dragonfly Wingman! These clip on to your hat, backpack or chair to […]
Just hangin’ outdoors…
We pride ourselves on supporting Canadian artists, including six – four from Ontario and two from B.C. – who make beautiful outdoor wall art made from high-quality metal. Some designs are intended to rust, while others are powder-coated steel so they won’t. Metallic Evolution Based out of Guelph, John and Heather have been designing and […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 267 – Protecting Birds From Hitting Your Windows (May 26, 2023)
Millions of birds are killed each year flying into windows. This time of year, the birds are migrating and generally much busier. They are seeing reflections of trees in glass which makes them think they can fly through. We have options to protect them! There are the basic black bird stickers. With these, the more […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 266 – Mother’s Day gift ideas (May 12, 2023)
Lots of great gift ideas for any of the Mothers in your life! Michel Design has many different scents of foaming and bar soaps, matching napkins, tea towels and aprons! We have many nice sets of hand tea towels or match your own! Canadian made Kitras Art Glass gazing balls make a great gift as […]
Artisan Pop-Ups – Saturdays May-August, 10am to 3pm
Once again The Avant-Garden Shop will be hosting artisans at their shop throughout the spring and summer. Starting May 6th and going until the end of August, artists can book a FREE space in front of the shop to show and sell their work. The work needs to be somewhat related to the theme of […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 265 – TheOccurrence Puzzles with Brigitte Gall (Apr 28, 2023)
Joining me today is Brigitte Gall of TheOccurrence Puzzles! These puzzles are a great new addition to the Avant-Garden Shop! TheOccurrence is a 100% owned, operated, and “unreasonably proudly” Canadian jigsaw puzzle manufacturing company located in the Haliburton Highlands in Ontario Canada. They design, print, cut, and box in Haliburton. All their Images are true […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 264 – Artist Crystal Driedger (Apr 14, 2023)
The artwork by Crystal Driedger has been super popular in the shop since it arrived in 2022. Her pins are bright and colourful, her cards and magnets show her painting talent. From her website “My art celebrates the diversity and richness of the natural world, reminding us of the value and importance of the plants […]
