CHEX TV airdate: Sep. 18th, 5-6pm Click here to watch this episode online 
Remember “Doodle art?” Sharpen your pencil crayons! Colouring books for adults have become extremely popular! ?Stores are selling out faster than they can stock the books! ?One book in particular is back ordered for months! We’re hoping to have it in time for Christmas. On this episode of The Garden Gate, I had two guests helping me out. We had a little colouring party at the shop! ?Fun. ?There was a bit of fighting over pencil crayons….you’ll have to tune in to see how that ends up. Plus we had a contribution from a family member in The Netherlands! People have really taken to this new pastime. Some of my customers are trying to quit 
smoking and find colouring is a great way to keep their hands busy! ?Or if you love to do puzzles but don’t have the space to leave out 1000 pcs for months on end…this is another similar hobby that can be easily packed up and put away. Doctors are telling us it’s a great stress reliever as well. ?Your mind goes off into places it doesn’t go when you’re on the phone, watching TV or surfing the web. Take time to de-stress and feel like a kid again! ?Colouring books are between $10 and $20 on average. ?Great gifts! ?Think ahead to Christmas!!
Artists
Garden Gate: Episode 66 – Recycled plastic furniture and carpets
CHEX TV airdate: June 26th, 2015 5-6pm
Click here to watch this episode online.
In 1983 I visited my uncle in Holland. ?At the time he was working for a company that recycled waste into new products. ?He showed me something he was working on in his spare time. ?He handed me this brown piece of plastic and told me that it was made from recycled margarine tubs, plastic bags, ropes etc. ?He didn’t know exactly what it could be used for but suggested poles to place around the harbours to tie the boats to. ?They were very durable and being plastic, waterproof! ?He gave me a little sample to take home which I still have!
Brook Taylor from Taylor’s recycled plastic in Bailieboro was my guest for this episode of The Garden Gate. ?He using sheets of plastic lumber to create wonderful, colourful and very durable furniture! ?I love the idea that you don’t have to paint or stain this furniture EVER! ?If it gets dirty, you can just hose it off! They are also UV protected so won’t fade. ?There are 13 colours to choose from…..I can’t decide which colour….but when I do I will be getting some chairs from him!
We carry another product that is also made from recycled plastic. The outdoor carpet that you’ll see in this episode. ?These carpets are wonderful. ?Durable, UV protected and easy to clean. ?They add interest and colour to your deck or patio. ?We also have customers who use them when camping, going to the beach or for their trailers. ?Keeps the sand out of the tent!
Our Garden Gate segments are just 3 minutes long and are uploaded to our YouTube channel after airing on CHEX TV.
Garden Gate: Episode 65 – Father’s Day gift ideas
CHEX TV airdate: June 12th 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode online. ? Men can be difficult to buy gifts for! ?But they work hard and deserve a little something on Father’s Day. ?On this episode of The Garden Gate, I do a quick run through of items that we have found to be popular in the shop. 
Tilley hats, thermometers, Rain Gauges, fun 
Beer glasses or Beer soap! If he has a vegetable garden, our Telescoping weeder is perfect. ?Throw in a pair of gloves and you’re set! 
Or if he’d rather have something fun to place in the garden, we have some metal Moose, Beavers and Bears! ?These pre-rusted pieces are made in BC and add fun and humour to the garden. Our Garden Gate segments are just 3 minutes long and are uploaded to our YouTube channel after airing on CHEX TV.
Garden Gate: Episode 63 – Providing water for the birds and butterfly’s
CHEX TV airdate: May 15th, 2015
Click link to watch this 3 minute video online.
Bi
rds and Butterfly’s both need water either for drinking or for bathing. ?On this episode of The Garden Gate I show you a few options available, from bird baths, bird waterers and also butterfly feeders and baths.
We especially love the hand made pottery bird baths made by Quebec artist Marie-Joel Turgeon. ?Th
ese stunning works of art will look great either in your garden, on the lawn or in a large container garden.
The birds love them because they aren’t too deep as many other baths can be. Also very easy to clean.
The bird waterer is also a popular item. It can be hung on a shepherds hook, set on a stump or table or affixed to a 4X4 post.
Birds can either drink from the cups or jump right in and have a bath. ?It automatically refills from the blue coloured container to keep the cups full. The blue colour also helps to reduce algae growth. Customers (and birds) love this item!
Then we also have a few special items for the butterfly’s. ?We rarely have puddles in our yards for the butterfly’s anymore, so we need to find ways to provide water for them as well. We have butterfly drinkers, feeders and also houses!
Garden Gate: Episode 62 – Wind chimes
CHEX TV airdate: May 1st, 2015 Click link to watch this episode online. We carry some wonderful wind chimes from Woodstock Wind chimes. The owner of Woodstock chimes, Gary Kvistad is a highly trained musician with a number of music degrees. ?Read more about Gary on the Woodstock chimes website. ?These chimes are tuned by … Read more
Garden Gate: Episode 61 – Copper and other metals in the garden
CHEX TV airdate, April 17th, 2015 Click link to watch this video online. When you’re choosing art to put in your garden, it’s important to be aware of the quality and the material that is used to create the piece. ?Cheaper metals, cast iron etc. often rust or don’t last. It’s always worth investing a little more to start, so you are not disappointed later. In addition, you can see the difference in a quality item. The artist will take more time to form nicer images. Eyes won’t be cockeyed or strange colours, and edges will be smooth and have a finished look to them. We feel it is better to have fewer items in your garden that are higher quality. ?Too many pieces can often become “junky” looking and distract from the beauty of a garden. In this episode of The Garden Gate I show you a few options. I love copper, so I focus a bit more on why copper is great outdoors. In the spring and summer we tend to have our best selection of outdoor art, so be sure to drop by soon.
Garden Gate: Episode 59 -Goat’s Milk Soap
CHEX TV airdate: March 20th, 2015 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode. 
Goat’s milk soap is a customer favourite! For this episode of The Garden Gate I was joined by Jessica from Cross Wind farms in Keene to talk about their soaps and creams. ? They recently started offering their products across the Country! ?I was very happy to be able to add their soap to our offerings here at The Avant-Garden Shop. ?How much more local can you get than Keene!? Available in a wide variety of scents there is sure to be a “flavour” for you. So far it seems that the Apple Blossom is the favourite. They also have goat’s milk cheese which is often used at The Electric City Bread Company next to our shop on Sherbrooke st. Yum!
Garden Gate: Episode 54 – Northern Smittens
CHEX TV airdate: Friday January 9th between 5 and 6pm Click link to watch video here. On her way back from the One of a Kind Show, Josee Huard, maker of wonderful Northern Smittens dropped in to talk with me about her work. Northern Smittens are one of a kind felted wool mittens handcrafted from recycled wool sweaters found in thrift stores. These sweaters are often stained, shrunk or damaged making them unwearable. ?They often find their way into landfills or are sent by large shipping boats to third-world countries. By working around these problems, the artist is able to take these previously loved sweaters, cut them up and give them new life as beautiful pieces of art for your hands. 
All sweaters are at least 80% wool. ?The sweaters are processed in hot water so their fibers felt together making them thick and soft. ?This felting process creates a mitten that is incredibly warm and naturally water and wind resistant. ?The mitten lining is made from new polar fleece to ensure warmth and comfort. So warm and comfy!
Garden Gate: Episode 53 – Once around the shop for Christmas gift ideas
Chex air date: Dec. 19th, 2014 Click link to watch this episode. We have so many beautiful things in the shop, sometimes it’s hard to choose! ?But we are here to help! Guys love our beer glasses, thermometers and rain gauges. Tilley hats and tools too! ?That’s just a start – watch the video for 2.5 minutes of tips!
Garden Gate: Episode 51 – Recycled socks. puppets and mittens!
CHEX TV air date: Friday Nov. 28th, 2014 Click link to watch video here. On this episode of the Garden Gate I’m talking about recycled content in some of our products. ?Instead of using new materials, these businesses all use recycled materials to make their products. ?This means less pollution in the environment and also that items are being reused before they are recycled! 
Our fun Happy socks for instance are made from recycled cotton T-Shirts! Leftovers are recycled into rags mats and other products. ?If a sock isn’t made quite right then it is made into a hat! You should see these fun and colourful hats! Scarves, mittens, baby and kid socks are also available. We also carry some really cute puppets that are made out of recycled wool sweaters. ?The puppets are made by sewers in Toronto. ?One of the owners (Josh Title) has even appeared on Martha Stewart Living! ?Josh showed Martha how to cut the fabric and put the puppets together. ?Puppies, elephants, cats, birds and even moose can be found in the shop!
? And most recently we added a line of mittens made in North Bay. ?The owner Josee, has in her first year of business, recycled over 1000lbs of wool sweaters into beautiful mittens! ?She is an excellent sewer matching up patterns from really weird sweaters and turning them into warm and fun mittens that she calls SMITTENS! And closest to home are some crazy metal animals and Christmas trees made out of recycled propane and oil tanks. ?Every one is unique. ?These come from Dog Bite Steel in Uxbridge, Ontario,