Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Favorite Things - 2010 Edition






A few weeks ago one of my readers suggested that I do another Morena's Favorite Things post. Since it is coming up on that time of year again I thought it was a great idea. I hope some of these ideas help you with your shopping.




This summer I went to a fancy spa to get my hair done and the great stylist suggested this product to me. I don't usually fall prey to these suggestions because the few times I have, I have found that sure, the stuff is nice but it's not like it works 400% better than the stuff I pay 400% less for. I guess I was feeling loose with my money that day because I went ahead and bought it and am I ever glad I did. Smooth Infusion is supposed to help with frizz, especially frizz brought on my humidity. Anyone out there with curly hair knows the frustration of the great hair day that turns into a finger in a light socket type look 20 minutes after leaving the house. I promise, you won't be disappointed in this stuff, it really works. The only drawback is that it costs about $35. However, you only need to use a little so it does last a long time.





Tuffy dog toys are the only toys we've been able to give Tank that he hasn't completely destroyed within a day. They are rated on the Tuff-Scale from 1-10, ten being the toughest so you know what you're getting. They have a wide selection, grouped in series' like Barnyard, Sea Creatures and Zoo that are all  really cute. They also have a line of rubber toys that Tank loves and make really nice dog beds too.

I'll be honest, anything rated less than a 10 has been easy pickings for Tank but I've known other dogs that do very well with sevens and eights. If your dog is a destroyer I suggest the Mega series. We gave Tank the two megas shown above over a year ago and while they don't look as good as new anymore, they are still in great shape.

One shopping tip: The links I gave are for the Tuffy's website directly and they charge an outrageous amount for shipping. I've found that many of the styles are available on Amazon.com who has much more reasonable shipping costs.





I'll put it right out there. This vacuum is not cheap. It's not exactly the ideal gift but it is my favorite purchase of this year so I thought I'd include it. The ball makes pushing it a dream... so easy you can let your one year old kid do the cleaning! LOL! I got mine at Costco with free shipping to the north.




If you or someone you know is breastfeeding this is a must have. There are lots of pillows out there but this one is second to none. It has a wide shelf like surface so there is lots of room for baby to lay on. It clips around you so it stays in place and doesn't slip. It has a handy pocket for the TV remote, bottle of water or phone, whatever you need handy. And if you need to wash it, just zip off the cover and throw it in the washer. It won't be the least expensive pillow you find at around $50 but trust me, it's well worth it.  

Shopping note: Sadly, the only place I've been able to find to buy online is Amazon.com and Destination Maternity. Amazon won't ship this item up north and Destination Maternity charges more than the cost of the pillow. I bought mine while down south at Toys R Us.




Just like Cape Dorset is known for it's carving and prints, the Uqqurmiut Art Center here in Pangnirtung is famous for it's weaving. They do lots of different items but my favorite is the winter gear. The 'Pang Hat' is known all over the north and is seen in a million different color combinations. This link is for their catalogue where you can see all the goodies they have to offer. The best thing is that if you want, you can email them the color combinations you are looking for and they will custom make your items for you. I highly recommend the mitts. The are just gorgeous with warm and fuzzy fur (faux) on the inside. This picture doesn't so them justice. Oh, and the price list is a little outdated. Believe it or not, the most of prices have gone down by $5 or $10.



Glysomed Foot Balm is my new favorite pedicure item and I use it every night before bed. It's nice and thick and has a great peppermint smell. It even gives your feet that cool minty sensation. I actually love all the Glysomed products and use the religiously. I have a real problem with my hands from the cold arctic air and their creams work great on keeping them from cracking. Of course you can buy it and all their other products at Well.ca.



The series Nick and I are really into right now is Showtime's Weeds. If you don't already know it's about a suburban house wife who starts dealing marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly. It's a very funny and well written show and the characters are really memorable. I also love that the episodes are only half an hour so you don't have to commit alot of time for a little entertainment. Disclaimer: Being that it's from Showtime, there's lots of swearing, sex and obviously in this case, drug use.




These are truly my new munchie obsession. They are thick, super crunchy and have just enough salt. Add a super yummy artichoke dip or something like it and you've hit snack heaven.






6 comments:

Matt, Kara, Hunter and Cavan said...

I want a pair of those mittens!!! I love them!!!!

Very envious of your dyson ball. I have their upright, but I find it heavy and awkward. However, I paid so much for it, that there is no way my husband would let me go out and get a different one!

Got hooked on weeds this fall and watched 4 seasons in 2 weeks over the internet. Blew up my bandwith- shhhh don't tell my husband!

Love your list!

Anonymous said...

Love Weeds!! Frank and I got hooked thanks to Tammy (Canadutch). Now it's our weekly obsession. We just finished season 6 but sadly I heard that next year is the last year :(.

LOVE those mittens!! I wonder if they deliver to the Netherlands LOL!

I need a new vacuum, I would love a Dyson but here they cost as much as a small house. Everything in this country is 5x as much as it would be in North America. I have an upright and I love it, Fran prefers the canister but I find that I end up hitting walls and furniture!

I love Glysomed stuff, I'm going to have to see if I can get some when I go home in January. I found that the Body Shops Hemp products are great too for dry skin. Expensive but you only need a little.

*sigh* I just need to move back, it would easier if I just moved back :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your favorite things!!!!

I too and very envoius of you Dyson Ball!!!! Anything to make life easier works for me!!! You inspired me to blog about my favorite things!!! Stop by and check it out!!

Morena said...

The Dyson is expensive. I've wanted one forever but only got it this year because I had a few hundred dollars in Costco gift certificates that I got for Christmas last year. That's the only way I can justify it.

And Melissa, I don't know if they mail to Europe or not but I do! But does it get cold enough to need them though?

Anonymous said...

We had a Dyson in Chesterfield Inlet and in Kugaaruk...so, when we moved here, that was the first thing we ran out and bought! It's fantastic!

I enjoy your favorites list!!!!

Anonymous said...

No it doesn't get cold enough but they are so nice I just want a pair! LOL! It only gets cold here for about a month or so and not cold by Canadian standards (even southern Ontario standards) I'm usually in my spring coat until about the end of November then I put on the winter one and cook when I go out for walks. I have a pair of boots that are going on year 4... normally I buy a new pair every year. The warm weather in the spring usually shows up around the end of Feb so the winter jacket isn't needed again.

But the mittens are so pretty!!! Me want! *pouty face* :P