Therapie for Mother's Day!

"It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it."
~The Golden Girls

We all know that the Mothers in our lives deserve far more than just one day in their honour.  Make it count this Sunday and shower that incredible person we all so love with gifts they'll love!

Present your mother the whole world in a small box!  Christian LaCroix's Six Continents Boxed Notebook Set is simply exquisite.  With six beautiful, hardbound books, LaCroix fascination with world fashion and culture comes to life in a colourful collage - Asia, Europa, America, Oceana, Africa and Antarctica.  This is your own Christian LaCroix fashion show across the maps of the world in a slipcase.  A truly worthy gift!

 

   Voluspa Maison Blanc Ceramic Candles are as beautiful to look at as they are to smell.  Pink Citron, Gardenia Colonia and Elysian Garden are my favourite Spring scents and fabulously feminine. 

Wide-brimmed, sun hats are perfect for the Spring and Summer.

Chambray Floppy Hat is a light and cool cotton/linen hat.

Adjustable Ribbon Crusher is just as it's name suggests - crushable, packable and adjustable.  The perfect hat for hot, sunny adventures.

Ribbon Crusher with Bow is also crushable and packable.  Very light and guaranteed to keep sun out.

Anna Floppy Hat is adjustable, practical and chic!

 Traditional but chic florals:

Paperbraid Cloche Hat is one of my favourite hat shapes. 

Women's Paper Fedora - Gotta love a masculine fedora with a feminine floral touch.

Freedom Liberty UK Cotton Pouch is perfectly royal.

  Keeping to the florals theme, this floral wristlet can be dressed up or down and most importantly, can hold a suprising amount of 'necessities.' 

Delicious Fragrance of Fall

This is the time of year when Starbucks brings back it's Pumpkin Spice Latté; truffles are generously shaved on pasta and desserts are kissed with warm spices.  The smell of Fall is rich, delicious and full of comfort.  The new home fragrances this season not only look luxurious and luscious, but smell good enough to eat!  Here are a few of my faves:

Voluspa Maison Rouge Figue de Bordeaux - With notes of ripe, tart fruit, earthy wood and freshly fallen leaves, this elegant candle burns for 100 hours.

Voluspa Maison Rouge Pomegranate Patchouli Ceramic Candle - Made of a coconut wax blend, this candle contains notes of ripe pomegranate, spicy, earth patchouli and over 20 other spice notes.  Burn time is 120 hours in a beautiful ceramic pot.

Ecoya French Pear Reed Diffuser - This Australian brand is fabulous.  With notes of spicy cinnamon and star anise, this scent has characteristics that are reminiscent of stewed pear crumble.  Hints of all-spice, juniper berries, cranberries, nutmeg and tropical fruit.

Ecoya Hand & Body Wash - Sweet foaming and cleansing wash base infused with a blend of natural, moisturizing oils and scents.

Ecoya Hand & Body Lotion - Rich in the organic vitamin E oils of Sunflower and Almond, this luxurious lotion is quickly absorbed, leaving the skin hydrated and subtly perfumed.

Seda France Autumn Spice Candle - This scent is everything it's name promises.  All your favourite, delicious autumn spices in one.

Seda France Monarch Quince Ceramic Candle - Everyone's favourite Japanese Quince candle is new and improved in a beautiful ceramic pot.  Tangy orange and bergamot, crisp apple, juicy pear, ripe strawberries bundled with a bouquet of jasmine, roses, vanilla and musk.

Who's Your Daddy?

Dads - we love them but they're impossible to shop for.  On Mother's Day, even the deadbeat offspring who remembers last minute if at all (there is one in every family), can get away with pretty flowers and still be a star.  I mean, I'm sure the phone call and brunch are very much appreciated but let's show the different Dads in our life that they deserve a little more.  

Dad My Hero Book -  Features a heart-warming collection of amazing quotations about fatherhood.  A timeless and touching tribute to our hero.

My Dad: His Story, His Words - A gift to be handed down through generations.  With questions about his life, get to know your Dad and celebrate the stories and memories.  Dads and kids of any age will enjoy completing this together.

For the active, on-the-go Dad, Baekgaard's handsome Toiletry Bag and fabulous Gym Bag are a perfect combination of great style and rugged practicality.  The packable Toiletry Bag has a plastic-coated twill lining that's easy to clean.  The Gym Bag has many compartments, including water-proof lined ones for wet (sweaty) things.

Voluspa Maison Noir Black Figue & Chypre Candle - Burns for 100 hours, this scent has to be the most popular scents for men at the moment.  Definitely one of my favourites.

Voluspa Maison Blanc Suede Blanc Candle - One female customer described this candle as smelling like, "the perfect man who has it all, who you're crazy about and will never get." - Scented with Sueded Leather and Cedar.  Enough said.

Mighty Wallet NYC Subway Map - Tear-resistant, water-resistant, expandable, recyclable and totally cool! Printed with the licensed graphics of the NYC Subway.

Mighty Wallet, The L - With the licensed imagery of Chicago's famous elevated train, with a focus on the "Loop."  This practical, functional and stealthy design is one that will last and last.

Expandable Ball Pen with Back-Scratcher - When one customer realized that this pen turns into a back-scratcher, he remarked, "But that's what my wife's for!"  The ball pen is made of brass chrome, the length ranges from 6 2/3" to 20 1/2" long.

Shoe Polish Set in Pouch - Set comes with two brushes, shoe horn, shoe polish (neutral), shoe shine sponge, and shoe shine cloth all in a compact 5" pouch!

For Valentine's, Nothing Says "Love" Like Chocolate!

As much as people groan and complain about celebrating Valentine's Day, I don't know anyone who would actually be disappointed by a romantic, sweet gesture by anyone in their life who wants them to know they are loved.  So spread the warm and fuzzies!  Embrace this day don't dread it.  Listening to my friend share excitedly with me his elaborate, well thought-out plan to suprise someone he's crazy about was refreshing and touching.  Personally, I could never dislike a day that encourages giving chocolate as a gift to celebrate love or even hopeful, escalating like.  Particularly if I'm on the receiving end!

Speaking of which, there is nothing I've seen or tasted like 'Love' Belgium chocolate!  If chocolate could be 'couture', "Love" would be it's brand name, and a perfect one at that!  The box of champagne truffles is all luxury, from the decadent, rich morsels within, to the actual gorgeous, textured, lined box which are keepers with or without chocolate. 

 

The alligator is embossed with a patent finish and the animal prints are covered with soft fabric.  Give a chocolate rose or a whole bouquet instead of flowers! 

 

Click on the pictures for more Valentine gift ideas!

Also shown and available online:

Organic Lavender Silk Rosette Eye-Pillows - Rich cooling silk, filled with Flax and Lavender.

Stretch bracelet with a Heart - Matte and Shiny Gold finish

Bubble Bath Roses - Pomegranate fig scented.  Organic White Tea, Vitamin E and other distilled essential oils.

Love Life Book - Celebrate the magic of your own everyday existence, and that of the people you care about.

Scented Soaps in bejewelled boxes

Voluspa Goji and Tarocco Orange Candle

Make Love Not Trash Cosmetics Carry-all

Romance Pro-Con Pad - Perfect gift for the perplexed dater.

"Lovers I Had and Liked" Notebook

Delicious Fall Scents

Fall is in full swing!  It's getting nippy outside and the air is dry and crisp with the promise of the holidays coming around the corner.  This is the time to start bundling up and getting cozy. Even the food of the season is full of comfort.  Pumpkins, apples, squash, pears abound and the wonderful smells of truffles, cinnamon and other warm spices arouse feelings of snuggly goodness.  I love the smells of Fall!  In this spirit, I want to share some of the most remarkable candle scents for this season, actually, probably the finest I have ever come across.  Ofcourse, they are all food-inspired and delicious!

I'm not a fan of strong, overwhelming synthetic scents, and there is none of that in this fabulous line of candles designed by Voluspa exclusively for celebrity Chef James Boyce.  Chef Boyce was nominated for a James Beard award and is known for masterfully infusing California influences into classic French cuisine.  Inspired by fresh locally grown produce, herbs and spices, this collection of luxe scented candles is created using all natural ingredients and made with organic wax from apricot seed oil in Southern California. 

A.  Voluspa James Boyce - Sommelier Candle - Ruby Port, Mission Fig & Star Anise

B.  Voluspa James Boyce - Herb Garden Candle - Black Chanterelle & Cardamon Flower

C.  Voluspa James Boyce - Spice Market Candle - Cassia, Ginger, and Ground Clove

D.  Voluspa James Boyce - Vintage Candle - Brut Champagne, Almonds, & Oak

E.  Agraria diffusers are as exquisite to look at as they are to smell.  Their Bitter Orange is a classic Fall favourite year after year that just never gets old.  The Balsam, Riviera Pear and Mission Fig AirEssence scents (available in-store) are also perfect for the season.  I just can't choose between them. 

F.  Japanese Plum

G.  Winesap Apple Spice

Both men and women will enjoy these.  They are fabulous gifts for dinner parties or other occasions with their beautiful packaging, but most likely you will keep these for yourself to enjoy!