a peek inside the fishbowl

Attention Ottawa homeowners! Fishbowl patron Mountain Road Productions is kicking off season two of “All For Nothing?” with a bang!

Want a chance to win two free tickets to the Ottawa Home & Garden Show being held March 24-27, 2011 at Lansdowne Park? You could also have a chance to catch hosts Paul and Penny on stage on Sunday (March 27) too.

Comment on this Facebook post (not here) and answer ONE of the two following questions about “All For Nothing?”:

a) What was your favourite episode in season 1? OR
b) What are you looking forward to seeing in the second season?

Your name will be entered into a draw, and a winner chosen at random will receive the tickets!

Contest deadline is Friday March 11, 2011 at 6pm. Good luck!

First of all, I can’t believe I’m posting this.

Second of all, please don’t comment on (a) my “video voice” as Mark calls it. I know how wispy I sound when the camera is running and (b) my camera skills and video quality. Our good Sony video camera just broke (along with my heart) and I had to use Sarah’s tiny Nikon Coolpix … on a low-res setting so I could squeeze in a few extra minutes. Nerdy special effects are courtesy of iMovie. :)

ALSO, for some reason, I actually didn’t brush my hair or apply makeup. I came in from doing the grocery shopping and did it in one take. (Ok. I am seriously rethinking this.)

Ah well. Here it is. It’s nine minutes long – and Piper makes several appearances too (just so you know). :) Grab a coffee and enjoy this wee tour around my house… mess and all! You’ll see that clutter is a huge issue for us. :(

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This giveaway is hosted by Fishbowl patron, Tag Along Toys.

Have you ever been to Tag Along Toys? We did the bulk of our Christmas shopping there last year and I (along with my MIL) were blown away by the thoughtful and personal service and the great selection of toys for kids of all ages. This, my friends, is what a toy store should look like. So if you’re looking for a small box kinda place for some big ideas about what kind of toys kids love, this is it.

Christmas seems 100 miles away now. I’m thinking ahead to March Break. Sadly, we are not going anywhere hot and gorgeous this year, nor are the kids enrolled in any special camps or programs. I work from home, which begs the question: What the heck do I do with the kids over March Break? Are you in the same boat? Or maybe you’re looking for things to keep the kids entertained for the rest of the year? :) Well, read on!

Tag Along Toys is giving ONE lucky Ottawa-area winner a package of creative diversions. It will knock your socks off.

It has a retail value of $185, and although it might not solve your March Break issues entirely it will definitely help keep the troops amused.

Here’s what’s in it:

1) S’match! – A memory game with a spin. For kids four and up.

2) Sticky mosaic – Let your flower child go to town. Groovy man!

3) Arterro art kit – An assortment of 100% wool felt shapes, recycled handmade paper, glass and wood beads, wire, needles and thread. Includes idea sheets with tips and instruction.

4) S’Quarrels – Tag Along included this game in for my benefit because we like it so much. It’s a card game in which you quarrel, hoard, and swap “nuts.” Mystery abounds! Who’ll get the rotten acorn? Is old man winter coming soon? Why should I give you my nuts YOU NUT STEALER?! It’s a lot of fun, and we all really enjoy this addition to family game nights.

5) A Jewelery Animals Stitching Card Kit from DJECO. Behold:

djeco stitch kit

Some of you might remember how much I love Djeco, so I will spare the gushing. We have Djeco draw-by-number sets that we’re planning on framing here at Casa Fishbowl… that’s how charming these art kits are. This is a stitching card set. Threads and sequins and spangles transform some lovely cards and make them sparkle. It’s illustration! It’s textile art! It comes with four illustrated plates, eight felt brushes and step-by-step instruction booklet. (Good for kids age 8 and up.)

6) Stamps and stencils from Djeco (for kids 6 and and older) and also…

7) 100 sheets of origami paper (for 100 paper cranes?) Includes step-by-step instructions for three great classics. (Good for anyone with opposable thumbs and some patience.)

Pretty awesome, isn’t it? It’s enough to keep your kids busy for HOURS!

If you’d like to win these items, here’s what you need to do (please read carefully):

  • You must live in the Ottawa area – or know someone who does – because the winner will have to pick up their prize at Tag Along Toys in a timely fashion. (They’re located in Kanata at the Signature Centre at 499 Terry Fox Dr.) Warning: might fall over when you see how lovely everything is.
  • Leave a comment below, telling us what kind of things you like to do with your family over March Break. Do you bake cookies? Go swimming? Hit up the museums? Go out for breakfast? Or maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who gets to travel somewhere awesome? (IF SO PLEASE TAKE ME WITH YOU.) If you have survival tips to share, now would be a good time. :)
  • Tag Along Toys is on Facebook as well as Twitter. Joining them there is not a requirement of this giveaway but it’s a good idea if you want insider scoop on awesome deals. And do you want to know a secret? Sometimes there are cupcakes at the store and only a select few people ever hear about it. Shhhh!
  • Good karma comes to those who tweet about this giveaway. If you’re not on Twitter, no worries, emailing your friends to let them know is just as good. :)
  • One entry per family please! I want lots of people to have the opportunity to win.
  • I will do a random draw of qualifying entries using Random.org at noon EST on Wednesday March 16, 2011. Please make sure you leave a valid email address because you can’t win if I can’t reach you.

Patti from Tag Along is going to be on A Morning tomorrow at 7:40 and 7:55, sharing March Break tips and games for home and while travelling. Make sure you tune in!

Thank you Tag Along Toys for hosting such a great giveaway!

Over to you Fishies! Good luck!

p.s. Don’t forget the Scratch giveaway too. There are only a couple of days left to enter. Woot!

Archives


  • Jeanie Maennling: I spent many wonderful days visiting my cousins and Uncle Herb and aunt Eleanor at the Farm in the 1950's. Mycousin Skippy (Sharon) and I got into l
  • alex: For a classic Canadian treat for valentine day , try a BeaverTail (a fried dough pastry) there its yummy
  • Juliet Luiz: I was at this park today and saw the foundation and historical sign which got me curious and let me to your blog post! Great information:) too bad t
  • Rowyn Tape: Hello, I was sitting at Easter dinner with my grandmother and she was telling me this story. She is Herbert Lytles daughter who eventually bought the
  • Bernie: I freeze ball sizes of bread dough for beavertails each winter season.Easy to thaw, roll out and fry. Best winter treat!
  • Jen_nifer: I feel very much the same about my SUP. Floating with snacks is fantastic! When I go on water with some current, I make sure that I paddle into the cu
  • sam: Great article. This is very insightful. Thanks for sharing

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Sunny who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. During the day I work as a freelance writer. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here.

I've deactivated the commenting function as well as my contact form so if you want to get in touch, please drop me a line at quietfish@gmail.com. Thank you!

 


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