CHEX TV airdate: July 8th, 2016Click link to watch this episode online. My guest on this episode of The Garden Gate is Barbara Taylor from Earthworks Pottery in Burlington. Barbara specializes in non-glazed clay products for the home. Barbara has been making these items for many years and has had lots of success … Read more
CHEX TV airdate: June 24th, 2016Click link to watch this episode online. Colouring books! They’re all the rage this year! It is an activity that seems to bring back thoughts of our childhood. People who like to do puzzles, crafts or had coloured as children are attracted to the many colouring books on the market … Read more
By Beatrix Potter Here comes Peter CottontailHoppin’ down the bunny trailHippity hoppin’, Easter’s on its way Bringin’ every girl and boyBaskets full of Easter joyThings to make your Easter bright and gay He’s got jelly beans for TommyColored eggs for sister SueThere’s an orchid for your mommyAnd an Easter bonnet too Oh! here comes Peter … Read more
CHEX TV airdate: Friday March 18th, 2016 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode online. I first met Caroline Lepannen at the Cobourg Indie show in the fall of 2015. I was immediately attracted to her colourful and quirky “Dudes” made from recycled “scrap.” Her booth was filled with strange and wonderful happy characters in … Read more
CHEX TV airdate: Friday March 4th 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode online Ron Stephens, reduction stoneware potter, painter and sheet metal sculpture, was born in Kitchener, Ontario. At high school, he took a potters course. The craft came naturally to him. After graduation, Ron hitch-hiked west in the late 70’s and found work … Read more
CHEX TV airdate, Friday Feb. 19th, 5-6pm In late January we attended two gift shows for retailers only. The By Hand show is only for Canadian artisans. There are 100+ vendors at this show including jewelers, potters, metal artists, glass artists and much more. Only a small segment are suitable for our shop, but we … Read more
CHEX TV airdate: Friday Feb. 5th, 2016 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode online Each year we attend the Toronto Gift Fair to meet up with our suppliers, find new products and to check out the quality of items. Pictures in catalogs don’t usually show the true item, so we like to check things … Read more
We’ve been helping customers pick the perfect gifts for 13 years so have a pretty good idea of what people like and are looking for. We love what we do and really are “here to help!” On this episode I give you a few ideas for dad, mom, kids and friends. Pop in the shop and we can give you some ideas for that special someone on your list. Lots of Canadian made too! ? Click link to watch this episode online.
A few years ago I introduced you to our wonderful Solmate socks! ?Customers love these socks because they make them happy. ?So we’ve nicknamed our “Happy socks!” I first showed them on CHEX TV in Garden Gate: Episode 27. ?This episode is a followup to that one. The company was established about 15 years ago by Marianne Wakerlin. In 2014 she retired and her son and daughter-in-law took over. The socks are milled in Vermont. ?Recently the owner of the mill also wanted to retire and sold to the Wakerlin family. ?Employees are very happy with the transition. The socks are a hit! ?Fun, colourful and very comfortable. Watch this episode to see the awesome products offered by The Socklady.
Local artist, Cathy Mark makes stunning windswept trees from her studio in Little Britain. These have been very popular items since we got our first order this spring. Cathy uses beautiful granite rocks hand picked from her farm or hand hewn burls found in the wood. Hand cut stainless steel trees are bent and shaped and finished and then attached to the rocks or burls to create one of a kind pieces of art for the home. She also does a variety of other items including herons and wall pieces which come and go at the shop. Stunning, unique pieces.