Lida Baday sample sale - November 11

The one you’ve been waiting for is back...

What?Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming garden party or wedding, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, November 11, 2011
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

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Lida Baday Sample Sale - May 13

The one you’ve been waiting for is back (and so is Bargainista)...

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming garden party or wedding, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, May 13, 2011
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

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• Lida Baday’s sample sale - November 5
  

Bargainista kicks off the holiday shopping season!

Well, I woke up this morning thinking I had less than a week to complete my Chanukah shopping and the countdown to Christmas had begun since we’re exactly one month away, it’s the U.S. Thanksgiving, tomorrow is Black Friday and sandwiching this weekend will be Cyber Monday.

Read more...

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Bargainista’s list of 2009 Boxing Day Sales

This list will be updated continuously so check it often. You may also want to click through to Bargainista’s comprehensive list on Twitter.

If you find a sale that isn’t listed here please add it by leaving a comment or e-mail me and we’ll do our best to post it quickly.

Sumaya is helping out this year. The ˆES or ˆSK at the end of each tweet represents our intials.

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• The Bargainista team is growing again...
  

Bargainista’s shopping tips at Yummy Mummy Club

I spend a lot of time on Twitter and one of the things I’ve noticed over the past several years has been the rise in activity among Canadian moms. At the centre of much of it is a woman you may remember from her MuchMusic VJ days, Erica Ehm. Over the past several years, she reinvented her brand. Now she’s known as Erica Ehm, the mom and founder of the popular and newly, redesigned YummyMummyClub.ca – an online community with a realistic view of moms. Say hi to Erica on Twitter - @YummyMummyClub - she’s very real and friendly.

Regardless, you don’t need to be a mom to check out the 16 shopping blog posts on YummyMummyClub this month. While you’re there, check out Tips to Save You Time and Money this Holiday Season by yours truly. (Big thanks to Erica for including me.)

Join Yummy Mummy Club. It’s free, you’ll have opportunities for all sorts of giveaways and receive the newsletter. Rumour has it tomorrow’s issue has my post and other great shopping tips.

Anything I missed? Add it to the comments.

LIV by Au Lit Holiday Shopping Party

What?
LIV by Au Lit Holiday Shopping Party
Up to 30% off clothing and accessories, jewellery trunk show, gift with purchases over $100.

Where?
418 Eglinton Ave. W. (map)

When?
Saturday, Nov. 28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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Davids Private Sale

What?
Davids Private Sale
Preview of Fall/Winter sale with merchandise up to 50% off.

Where?
66 Bloor St. W. (map)
Bayview Village (map)
Yorkdale (map)

When?
Wednesday, Nov. 25
Thursday, Nov. 26

Public sale begins Friday, Nov 27

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Updated - Lida Baday sample sale October 23

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale...

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

Update:
• Approx. 80% of items are under $100 and most range from $20-$60!
• Sizes range from 2-14. Most items will be in sizes 6, 8 & 10. There are few items in sizes 2, 4, 12 & 14.

When?
Friday, October 23, 2009
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St. (see map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

Making Easter egg treats for little ones

In this week’s baby bargainista column, Jenny talks about Easter, her favourite holiday, and how to make Easter egg hunts both neat and nutritious at the same time.

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it’s the cute bunnies and baby chicks, or the plethora of yummy chocolate, or the fun of hiding eggs and toys for the kids to find on Easter morning.

But the main event that I so enjoyed as a child, that is, gorging on chocolate and sweets on Easter morning, is not necessarily my favorite now that I’m a parent and I’m the one who has to deal with the sugar-crash aftermath (Tantrums! Yelling!). Happily, there are ways to incorporate moderation and healthiness into Easter while still keeping the traditional egg hunt alive.

My favorite innovation since I became a parent is the availability of plastic, refillable eggs. You can get them at any major drugstore (such as Shoppers) or grocery store. The advantages of using these eggs for Easter egg-hunting, instead of just chocolate eggs, are many.

1. Most obviously, you control what goes in them, and can create a mix of chocolate goodies, small toys (such as from the dollar store or a party supply store), and healthy snacks like raisins or Goldfish.

2. They’re larger and therefore easier for even the youngest egg-hunters to find. Should any eggs remain undiscovered, the plastic makes for an easier cleanup. No more wiping up little pools of melted chocolate in hiding spots that proved too clever!

3. The plastic eliminates any danger of tiny unwelcome houseguests, such as mice, having a nibble on the treats before your kids get to them. Not a common danger, but definitely handy if you choose to celebrate Easter at the cottage, for example.

4. Using the plastic eggs as your packaging opens up the option of buying your goodies in bulk, and eliminating needless waste. Buying treats in bulk also saves you money, of course.

Do you have a tip to share on saving money this Easter, or a favorite holiday tradition that you’ve put a spin on now that you’re a parent?

How to stay warm in the colder weather if you're pregnant

In this week’s baby bargainista column, Rebecca Atkinson shares tips for staying warm when you’re pregnancy belly starts showing during the last stretch of winter. Jenny, who needed a maternity coat for the whole winter shared her experience last fall.

The only problem with being pregnant in the winter months is that a growing belly can mean more than just trouble doing up your pants – it can also affect your outer layers. I’ve been finding that I’m having more and more trouble closing some of my winter coats lately, which given the minus double digits Toronto has been getting lately gave me two options:

1. Buy a new coat that will last me for the next six weeks (based on our Wiarton Willie’s predictions) and hope that if I become pregnant again it will be during the winter months again;

2. Hibernate until Spring (which considering I do work from home, could have been a real possibility).

As I was explaining this dilemma to my neighbour Moira she looked at me and said: “Oh no, you don’t need to go buy a new jacket, I have two options for you.”

1. Get the biggest, longest scarf you have (or invest in one, it will be cheaper than a jacket) and wrap it around so it hangs down in front of your belly. Now look at your jackets and see if you have one of the following: a) a double zipper that you could work to do up above your belly, or a jacket with snaps/buttons/Velcro (with or without a zipper option too) that you could then again just do up above your belly. This way you are warm(er) and even somewhat fashionable without spending big bucks.

Your second option, she advised me – especially if we had a lot more winter to go through, was to:
2. Go to a second-hand clothing store and look at picking up a jacket (bonus if they have any maternity clothes) in a size that would fit my expanding belly.

Now I personally prefer Moira’s first option, especially because I like the idea that it can be somewhat stylish and I can save my money to buy other maternity clothes that I’ll be wearing for longer periods of time. I was really impressed with the idea though and realized a few things from just that short conversation.

Lessons Learned:
1. If you find yourself facing a pregnancy-related issue and are looking for a cost-effective solution, ask your friends and neighbours who have had children if they had the same problem and see what they offer – you’d be surprised at the little tips and tricks you can pick up.

2. For the amount of time you’ll be wearing it, it doesn’t make any sense to buy new – especially if you can cash in on someone else who decided to buy new for a short period of time and then no longer needed it. Looking around online at forums also seems to provide this same advice. Sure buy a few pieces new, but again for the amount of time the clothes are usually worn, you can get some great deals at used clothing stores, although from the sounds of it, you have to look often as they seem to go fast.

Do you have any pregnancy clothing tips to share that will save other expectant moms money? If so, we’d love to hear them.

Bargainista’s list of 2008 Boxing Day sales

This list will be updated continuously so check it often. You may also want to click through to my comprehensive list on Twitter. If you find a sale that isn’t listed here please add it by leaving a comment or e-mail me and I’ll do my best to post it quickly.

Interview with Helen Nestor, Dandelion Mud Pie

In preparation for the Community Diva’s session at SustainabilityCamp last month, I interviewed Helen Nestor, owner of Dandelion Mud Pie – an eco-friendly store in Toronto.

Helen’s passion for Dandelion Mud Pie and inspiring others to live a little greener is infectious. Stay tuned until the end for some green gift ideas.

Black Friday and you

Today is the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S. It’s called Black Friday and marks either the biggest shopping day of the year or the one day of the year when there’s no shopping depending on your point of view.

In Canada, December 1 is the day that traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season. (Coincidentally it falls on Cyber Monday this year.)

With the current state of the economy, I’ve been contacted by a number of companies south of the border asking me to promote their sales.

As for me, I’m not changing my habits this year. I believe shopping will help stimulate the economy and I’ve been doing my fair share lately (stay tuned). As usual, I’ll focus my spending in Canada – that doesn’t mean I won’t be purchasing from U.S.-owned retailers — it means I prefer to do so here. I don’t have any plans to shop today but if I wanted a new computer I would.

Anyway, enough about me. I want to know about you. Will you be searching for deals today? Do you prefer to shop at home or spend your money south of the border? When do you start shopping for the holidays? Let’s get the discussion going.

One of a Kind Show and Sale 2008

The One of a Kind Show and Sale starts tomorrow thru December 7. It’s a great way to spend a lovely Sunday afternoon, especially if you're looking to kick-start your holiday shopping and you like giving unique gifts and relish the idea of supporting Canadian talent.

800 artisans from across the country will be in Toronto for this wonderful semi-annual show. They’re displaying and selling there goodies all week. See everything from clothing to home accessories, unique foods and fabulous works of art.

Magazine Girl (pictured) is an awesome work of art by Andrea Turnbull. Can you believe the 1940s-inspired dress is hand-carved? I only wish I was as talented. You can find her at with her husband Matt at their Thyme of the Season booth.

When:
Nov. 27 thru December 7
Weekdays: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sundays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where:
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place (map)
Toronto, ON

Admission:
Adults $12 or ($10 with coupon) online
Seniors & Youth $6.50
Children under 12 - free

What’s your favourite find?