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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Well, Avian Influenza is back in the news. Here, I try to provide some insight that might help answer the question… “Should I keep feeding birds or shut down my feeder?” The quick takeaway? It seems to be ok to keep your feeders running as long as you: aren’t on or near a farm with … Read more
Rain Chains are like jewelry for your house! They can add unique character to a home or garden. These are hung where your downspout usually goes so the rain trickles through them. This is neat to watch but it also makes a relaxing sound. They can be left in place year round as ice accumulation … Read more
Easter is coming up very soon! Have a look at some of the unique items you can find in the shop! These beautifully handmade products are a Fairtrade item from overseas and have been produced in a safe and democratic workplace. The producers are paid a fair wage and most importantly the workers have the … Read more
The right piece of art can really enhance the overall feeling of a space. Whether it’s for your home, garden or outdoor spaces you’ll be able to find it at the Avant-Garden shop! We support several Canadian artists: Rugged Coast is a group of Indigenous artists from British Columbia. Murals in Metal are a family-owned … Read more
Our year-round resident cavity nesters are getting busy with courtship and breeding behaviours, well ahead of the migrants, most of whom start returning from their southern breeding grounds in late-April. Behaviours to watch and listen for include calling/singing (nuthatches & chickadees), drumming (woodpeckers), ritualized displays (keep an eye open for dance-like movements between birds), and … Read more
A Spruce Budworm outbreak in northern areas meant a lot of food for Evening Grosbeaks and Purple Finches this year. That, coupled with a smaller mast (seed and nut) crop, means there are more individuals of these species than there is food to support them, so many will move father south than usual this winter … Read more