Let it Rain

We know it will. Rain that is - especially here on the wetcoast, which is probably why we fell in love with these hats.

Made locally in Vancouver by a brilliant mompreneur, our new kids' rain hat not only looks fabulous but puts to rest the seemingly endless hood struggle.

Think about it. How often have you chased your kids around the playground saying (shouting?) 'put up your hood'? How hard is it to see sideways with a hood on? And doesn't it seem like your hearing takes a little nose dive with a hood up?

Then there's the times when they look up at you with drops of rain hanging from their eyelashes and little button noses, even when they're dutifully wearing their hoods.

This wide brim hat actually keeps rain off the face and the velcro chin strap keeps it firmly on.

Made of 100% cotton fabric coated with waterproof polyurethane and lined with super soft organic cotton with bamboo, it's easy to wipe clean or, if necessary, hand wash in cold.

The hat comes in four fun and colourful patterns: flower power, spring bloom, paisley and boy blue and in sizes fitting 12 months up to 6 years.

Trust us, this one's a winner. Once your child wears it once, she won't want to leave the house again without it, even if it's not raining.

The kids' rain hat is available at Lavish & Lime.

WIN WIN WIN a Paisley blue/brown rain hat for your little puddle jumper. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before midnight PST November 1.

Sustainable Sipping: The Best Way to Save Wine

As autumn closes in, the cooler days and longer nights beg for warm soups, stews and a rich glass of red.

But what if the bottle remains unfinished? What if you've splurged, and it's a really good bottle? This about vino sustainability, not dumping or swilling.

According to Decanter magazine, the Private Preserve gas cylinder is the absolute best way to keep an open bottle of wine fresh.

There's only two ways to preserve an open bottle. You can either put something in the neck of the bottle to prevent oxygen from getting into the wine (doesn't help with the oxygen already in the bottle), or you can remove as much oxygen from the bottle as possible with a vacuum or inert gas, the latter of which displaces the oxygen and creates a protective blanket over the surface of the wine.

The vacuum process doesn't guarantee all the oxygen will be removed and is considered somewhat of a violent process as the wine's desirable aromas can also get sucked out.

In a limited trial of three vacuum-style stoppers, two inert gas systems, plus the bottle's original stopper on three contrasting wines, it became clear by the fourth day that the Private Preserve gas kept the wine fresher for longer.

A couple of squirts into your bottle followed by re-corking with the bottle's original cork and you can enjoy your wine up to a few weeks later, says Anthony Gismondi, one of Canada's leading wine critics and editor of gismondionwine.com.

"Gas is the best way to go," he says. "It's so much simpler to use than pumping a vacuum - and more effective."

"One can of Private Preserve will last a good few months for the average consumer," said Gismondi.

Private Preserve is available at Lavish & Lime in single cans or as part of our Wine Essentials Kit - Wine 101 in a neoprene bottle bag - the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys wine. View the video below to learn more about our wine kit and for a Private Preserve demo, presented by Anthony Gismondi.

My Daughter Loves Her Sigikid Toy More Than Me

I know she loves me. Really, I do. It's just that I thought it would be different with our second.

Lucy is almost two. She runs. She falls. She cries. She holds up her arms so I swoop her up for a cuddle and then it happens. She says, 'Sigi'.

I don't mean to be needy. I just think that at this point something along the lines of 'Mommy' might be nice. Is it possible to be jealous of an inanimate object?

Sigi is an organic teddy bear snuggly given to her at birth by her older sister as part of the second baby process. Everyone told us to have Polly give Lucy a gift to ensure Polly still felt secure, loved and to curb any feelings of jealousy. We didn't really think about the effect this toy would have on us - jealousy? Surely not.

Like Polly did - and still does at the age of five - Lucy learned to fall asleep with her Sigikid toy. Sigi is her comfort, like the blankie or dolly most of us had as kids. Sigi was easy for Lucy's little hands to hold so it was one of the first things she could grasp and now that she's walking, one of the easiest things for her to carry around with her. Lucy's third word after 'Dada' then 'Mama' was 'Sigi'. And why not? He's super soft, cuddly and her constant companion.

Sigi has recently gone awol from the stroller a couple of times but with a bit of backtracking down the aisles of Safeway, he's been found, thankfully. What would a night without Sigi be like? I hope never to have to find out because it might be me sleeping with Lucy rather than him and right now - with much thanks to Sigi - I'm enjoying my eight hours. (Touch wood.)

- Louise Campbell, Lavish & Lime Co-founder

Sigikid is an innovative German toy company new to Canada but established in Europe for over 40 years. Lavish & Lime is the first Canadian e-tailer to offer Sigikid products online. Shop our Sigikid collection of organic and other toys here.

Designer Interview: Adea Chung is Billy Would

We're really excited to be working with Adea Chung, the designer behind our new recycled wood jewellery line. She works right here in Vancouver under the label Billy Would and guess what? She's the subject our debut designer interview. Look for more designer interviews over the coming weeks.

How did you come up with the idea of making jewellery using recycled wood? Was it difficult to turn the idea into actual pieces?

I first started making jewellery out of purchased exotic hardwoods from local stores. The colours and textures were incredible and I loved picking out choice pieces. This method was short lived as I soon discovered none of the suppliers could guarantee how the trees were harvested.

I tried working with FSC certified wood as well but it was lacking the beauty and strength for jewellery. Constantly striving to reduce my carbon footprint in all aspects of life, it took a few short emails to local woodworkers and shops to connect with some really great people. Because the amount of wood needed for jewellery is small, I'm able to score some really great pieces that may be too small to work with for a guitar maker but perfect for me.

Through networking with all kinds of woodworkers and some creative "salvaging" (ie:old dressers and damaged floor boards) I keep each piece one of a kind and am always getting to work with new woods.

Coming from a family full of artists including a father who was always creating incredible wood carvings, working with wood and tools in the shop is like home.

How long have you been designing jewellery? Have you done other things along the way or have you followed a direct path to founding your own company?

I've only been designing and creating jewellery for about two years but I feel like I've learned so much in that time. Over the years, I've got the chance to do all kinds of things that I'm sure in some way or another lead to working for myself. Working at a heli ski company, as a bank teller, at a massage school, and of course being a mom.

I've always enjoyed art and creating in almost any form. I feel so lucky to be able to do something I love and get to see others enjoy it as much as I do.

What inspires you to come up with new designs?

I'm inspired by almost everything! Obviously nature and shapes are some of my favourites to express. Different pieces of wood with unique lines and colours I try to show off. Creating clean simple designs that allow the eye to appreciate the actual wood.

My biggest inspiration would have to be my five year old daughter. I've "borrowed" a lot of her designs (stars and hearts) and even used her middle name (billy) She's definitively my biggest critic too though.

What's the hardest part of your job? What's the best part of your job?

The hardest part of my job is probably the business end of things and the marketing. It's also one of the most enjoyable too, learning the entire aspect of starting and running a business gives you a great sense of appreciation and respect for others doing the same thing. Participating in shows and fashion markets were never something that appealed to me in the past but since doing them I have grown to love the interaction. It's so much fun to watch people enjoy and wear something you created.

Do you have any advice for designers interested in following a similar path?

Pick something you enjoy and go for it! Don't be scared to ask for help and support, you want to still love it at the end of the day.

Thanks Adea! You can check out Adea's stunning designs at Lavish & Lime.

Reduce the Landfill One Baggy at a Time

Did you know that 20 million plastic baggies are added each day to the U.S. landfills alone?

Just imagine what the numbers are worldwide.

Let's face it. When you pack a lunch, it usually contains more than one plastic sandwich bag. These get tossed in the garbage after just one use. They add up and they fill up the landfill.

Instead of waiting for the bureaucrats to talk about banning baggies as they're doing with plastic bottles and shopping bags, why not take a small step toward reducing waste on your own? Try our NEW reusable sandwich wrap - a simple concept that's brilliant for the environment - and help reduce the landfill one baggy at a time.

Fold your sandwich up in this octagonal-shaped wrap, secure with the velcro closure and your lunch is ready to go! It's great for snacks too - muffins, crackers, cookies, veggies and more. Plus it doubles as a place mat for a clean place to eat - anywhere.

To clean, simply hand wash in warm water and hang to dry. One wrap can last an entire school year.

The wrap is made in the U.S. out of LDPE (low-density polyethylene), the same material as plastic baggies but a thicker grade to ensure its re-usability. The thicker material also allows less air to penetrate, keeping what's inside fresher for longer than the typical plastic sandwich bag.

It comes in variety of colourful patterns - green and brown dots, classic red gingham plus rainbow fish, sports balls and stars on pink for kids. Due to the high demand for this product, we're getting new designs in every week so check back for new product.

For our full range of eco-friendly food carriers and recyclable Laken water bottles, visit Lavish & Lime.