Moving into a 100-year old east Toronto home presented us with an opportunity to completely re-do our kitchen – granite, stainless steel … the lot.  The place was gutted and new cabinets were designed. Everything looked great, but finding space for all our kitchen equipment turned out to be much harder than expected.

Had I only known then about an Ontario company that designs and manufactures amazing storage solutions, all our space problems would have been solved. Gliding Shelf Solutions Inc. came to the notice of Tempo Toronto recently. We’re tempted to retrofit our brand new cabinets, and here’s why.

They make full depth gliding shelves! Not just your ordinary glides though. These promise both longevity and functionality because they are on steel rails with the quiet smoothness that ball bearings provide, and come with a five-year warranty. The shelves are stylish too because of the attention to detail and the birch hardwood used in their construction.

The Gliding Shelf Solutions promise you three big pluses – organization, accessibility and more space.

With better organization you can declutter because there is enough space for everything to be put away. For example a large wok (or fondue set) at the back of the bottom cupboard will be easy to get to – without having to empty out all the appliances in front of it – and you can put it back easily when you’re done with it, keeping your countertops clear of clutter. So your new, sleek kitchen stays beautiful.

With full accessibility to everything, in a pantry for instance, you can always see what you have on hand so you can use up supplies while they’re still fresh and avoid buying doubles of something you already have. And as we become older and wiser, easy accessibility is something we begin to appreciate more.

Half-depth shelves in lower cupboards become a thing of the past. With these smooth glides, you can convert to the convenience of having all full depth shelves, doubling the capacity of each shelf that you convert.

Gliding Shelf Solutions change how you use your kitchen, bathroom, and anywhere that you use storage space. In our opinion these gliding shelves are the perfect solution for anyone downsizing, to a condo perhaps, or simply renovating to make existing living space more usable. The gliding shelves can be custom made for any kitchen, new or old. Even if you’re not gutting your kitchen (or bathroom), the big trend for refacing old cabinets and changing counter tops, custom fitting the kitchen with glides and gaining lots of extra storage space becomes really affordable.

The company has qualified designers who will come to your home for a complimentary consultation. We’re thinking of inviting them in. to talk about a retrofit. Perhaps you should too!

Related posts:

1. Renovating small spaces: kitchen
2. Small Spaces – Powder Room Makeover

We recently found out about Elizabeth Grant International Inc. at the Sisterhood Soiree in May when Anne Murray received the CWF Leadership Award. There was a fabulously stocked grab bag, including samples of the Elizabeth Grant Skin Care line.

Then we heard about it all over again when a brand new product, The Socializer, was launched on the stunning patio of Fuzion in June, under the watchful eyes of Esther Garnick PR. It’s an eye treatment in two parts that is designed to regenerate, revive and hydrate the eye area. The morning treatment uses a mineral light diffuser to brighten the appearance of the under-eye area, the evening treatment does the repair work. Basically, you can look good all day no matter how late you go to bed or how early you rise.

This Canadian skin care company has been producing what they describe as the most advanced luxury skin care products for over 50 years. Each product in the extensive line contains the company’s exclusive compound, the trademarked Torricellum, a proprietary formula of ocean minerals, proteins, vitamins and natural active ingredients, each researched and selected for their restorative properties.

The Socializer – Bright Lights: the morning treatment, and Late Nights: the evening treatment, are said to repair, awaken, de-puff and rejuvenate as well as being proven to combat signs of aging such as fine lines and crow’s feet. Tempo Toronto is about to try it out, and we’ll report back.

We’re so happy to learn of a bona fide Canadian company doing good things for puffy eyes, and for the rest of our skin.

Related posts:

1. Longer eyelashes: yes!
2. Longer eyelashes: yes!
3. From ballerina to Pilates instructor

With a twenty-eight year history and clients like Cirque du Soleil and Chanel, Contact Image is known for gallery quality large format printing and for exemplary customer responsiveness. Marilyn is working on her WOWprint.ca site – to be launched in January – and her associate Saki had an interesting gift idea for right now. How about a favourite photo on a shower curtain?

“Custom shower curtains are available but none quite like this.  We’ve chosen luxe poly poplin that captures the richest colours and the finest detail – right down to the whiskers on the kitten.  The curtain is finished with grommets – ready to hang.

But for now – we want to make a special Christmas offer.  We will print your favourite photo on this beautiful poly poplin shower curtain and ship it absolutely free anywhere in North America in time for Christmas
- if we have your order by end of business day, Tuesday, December 15

I know it’s not much time, but this is truly an idea that was conceived and came into being in the last few days.  We literally just got our first samples on Friday.  Jim Topolniski, President of Contact Image says he’ll print around the clock if he has to keep his commitment to us and ship by the 18^th of December.”

If you want to order in time for Christmas, be quick! Full details at http://lightbeam.org/

Related posts:

1. Grinchiness – an over-50 complaint?

Tempo Toronto bumped into the CEO of Toronto-based Soak, and she handed out a few sachets of Soak™. We gave it a try on our most precious ‘smalls’, because that’s what it’s for. And, let’s face it ladies, we do love to have at least one ridiculously expensive (overpriced?) and glamourous set of underwear.

The website describes Soak, as a gentle rinse-free wash. According to the Globe & Mail, Soak is “so gentle, it doesn’t need to be rinsed out”. Apparently Toronto knitters, quilters, cross-stitchers and weavers are  using it for their much-loved (‘Soak worthy’) projects. And it’s said to be great for fine lingerie, baby clothes, and even for washing your grandchild’s grubby teddy bear that won’t make it through a rinse and spin cycle.

Soak comes in three fresh fragrances (Flora, Aquae, Citrus) as well as scent-free. You can find it in  yarn retailers, knitting boutiques, lingerie boutiques, apparel stores and online retailers across North America and around the World.

This is for washing by hand only, so you’d only use it for fine items you love, such as the hand-crocheted baby shawl your mother made and which you’re passing on to your own grandchildren, or the bra and panties that cost you $300 and would be ruined by a washer and drier cycle (please tell us you don’t put your fine underwear in the drier … that’s a death sentence for lace and elastic).

We tried it out. We’re not sure about the ingredients in use, but the product is really easy to use, and effective. You fill a bowl with cool water, swish through the liquid Soak, and dunk in your undies, leaving them for 15 minutes. The you squeeze them out and air dry them. The only thing is, at first, you really, really want to rinse your garments at the end. We’re so conditioned to doing that! But, once you’ve tried it a couple of times you get comfortable with it. For sure Soak makes it so easy that you’re guaranteed to wash (SOAK) your unmentionables daily, happy in the knowledge that, as well as always being fresh, your $120 panties or $250 bras will last longer.

www.soakwash.com

Related posts:

1. Dungarees to dangereuse, in 30 minutes