Marcelle makeup and skin care products were developed for women with sensitive skin. Marcelle has been a trusted brand since 1933, catering to Canadian women’s needs since 1949. Manufactured and designed in Quebec, the company also produces the Annabelle line.

If you would like to buy their discontinued and liquidated goodies, this is the moment for their next warehouse sale as the next one won’t be held until around November. All Marcelle makeup and Annabelle items are $2.25 and creams or lotions are 30%-70% off.

For those of you who have heard about the amazing BB Cream makeup/moisturizer/sunblock, they produced Canada’s first incarnation of it. They now have a BB line of items.

Marcelle sells the number one eye-make-up remover brand in Canada; It is hypo-allergenic and perfume-free  for sensitive eyes. At the sale it will be a lot less than in the retail stores.

All spring 2013 Marcelle skincare launches will be featured at the sale, as well as well as the new Annabelle CC Colour Control lineup.

It’s a good time to stock up on gifts as gift boxes are usually there.  You can be put on an e-mail list to be notified of future sales.

New Location: 9456 Cote de Liesse Rd. at 43rd Ave.
Phone: 800-387-7710
Dates and Times: Fri Apr 5: 4-8, Sat & Sun, Apr 6 & 7:  9-4
www.marcelle.com

Here’s a new one for me. Those of you interested in really high end (Schwalbe, Lake shoes, Spenco,  Raceface, Hutchinson tires, Nalini, Campagnole, fi’zi:k, Look, Commencal, Limar helmets, POC helmets, Look pedals and frames ) road and mountain bikes (reg. price $700-$4000) for 70% off, then this is the sale you want to head to.

Besides the bikes there’s  outdoor trekking and skiing  equipment and clothing (jerseys reg. priced $130-$200), too.  Kempter Marketing  has been holding these sales for the past 6 years and they usually happen in November.

Location: 766 Lajoie, Dorval
corner: Cote de Liesse
Dates and Times:  Fri Mar 22: 12-6, Sat Mar 23: 10-3

If you are heading out to Ottawa to skate on the Rideau Canal and to enjoy our nation’s capitol, leave some time to explore the Canadian Museum of Nature, our first national museum, completed in 1912.

The Beaux Arts building was recently renovated and is now fronted by a towering glass atrium. That’s where we found the arts and crafts action. Perhaps leave that for the end, after you’ve had a chance to watch “Exploding Geology”, the tornado demonstration, walk through the large bird display (and play on the interaction boards),  swoon over the 1200 gorgeous minerals, rocks and meteorites , meet the 10-metre blue whale, enjoy the full size mammal gallery (look for the reindeer), go face to face with a triceratops,  or spy on the tarantula.

Kids of any age and their parents will enjoy their day. If you have time there are two movies, “Nature Unleashed” and “3D Dinosaur” but our gang liked the interactive museum more. Special exhibits coming up will show off Ikebana, Japanese floral design, Flora of the Canadian Arctic and in the summer, the Hidden Lives of Ants.

Trivia buffs should note that this Canadian Museum of Nature  served as home to Canada’s House of Commons and Senate following the fire that destroyed the Centre Block of Parliament in 1916.

Location: 240 McLeod St.
Phone: 613-364-4021
www.nature.ca

Q: Can you tell me if there is a place where I can buy wool, yarn, or silk – on large spools or cones?

A: There are about a 1/2 dozen stores to buy wool in my book (pages 92-93, 168-170). Here’s one: Magasin de Fibre L.B., 2270 Mont-Royal e.: Wool, wool and more wool – this company has been the source for hand knitters and weavers for the last 39 years. They have it all the needles and accessories plus – mohair, acrylic, boucle, metallic, viscose, cotton, soya, bamboo, alpaca, etc., and can ply it while you wait. Browse through the bins and bins, and be prepared to buy at decent prices.  www.labobineuse.com

Professional hair care products and colorations (Biosilk, Nucleic A, Dikson, Pravana, Marrakesh Oil, Park Avenue…) that the salons use can be yours as well, if you shop at TifClip.

Styling products such as boar’s hair and ceramic brushes, clippers and trimmers, gels, waxes can be found.

Electrical appliances like Chi hair irons, Elchim blow dryers, Babyliss straightening irons, curling irons and hot rollers are yours for the asking.

They are now carrying the 2 top models of Parlux blow dryers from Italy (www.parlux.it). They have the 3800 ionic and ceramic edition which is totally eco-friendly, and the 2800 which is a long lasting and high endurance product.

Ask about spa and waxing products as well as hair extensions. Here’s hard to find help – you can get hair color consultation and a repair service here. (Taxes are included in the prices)

2122 Bleury St., Montreal QC H3A 2K3
corner: Sherbrooke St.
Tel: 514-288-4411
www.tifclip.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5

Pharmacies are always open the latest on Christmas Eve so if you really get stuck at the last last minute, head for one of them. In the Pharmaprix flyers I have seen: perfume, a micro-derabrasion system for a home facial, cameras, a Sony docking station $99, kids’ acoustic guitar, Minnie Mouse alarm clock, gourmet chocolates: caramel shortcake or almonds and cranberries, a pet bed, a gingerbread house kit, and … the slinky.

Kidlink (5604 Monkland Ave. Tel: 514-482-4188) has always focused on award winning toys and good books. this is the perfect place to go for advice on what to buy kids of all ages.

– For 12& up: Fushigi Ball, is a metallic magic gravity ball. You can do tricks with your hands and it looks like it is floating. Comes with a DVD to show you how to do the tricks $20.99. It’s a big hit
– For 8 & up: Competition Cups; Though this sounds deceptively simple, you get a box with 12 cups and DVD instructions . You simply stack unstack them as fast as you can. Look it up on YouTube. Comes in  2 sizes $20.99 & $38.99. The bigger one comes with a timer and a mat.  This is good also for teens.
– 8 up, especially teens: Urban Headphones: Made by Bojeux, a Montreal company. Written up in Protegez-Vous, you put together your own headphones and decorate them. They have great sound. $25.99
– Duct tape craze: Duct tape can be used to decorate sneakers, tables, school bags, bracelets, belts, water bottles, school books, as it comes in dozens of designs: polka dot, leopard, jeans, stripes, etc..  You can buy books to give you ideas.  “Just Duct Tape It” is a bestseller $11.95 and there’s “Tape it and Make It” $16.99. Tape is $8.99 a roll.
babies – Taf toys,  My First mp3 Player is preloaded with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc.  Parents can download music and use a USB key to add it. It won awards $59.99.
family – Alex 3D Cityscape is a 42-piece puzzle which you then work upwards in 3D to build buildings on the floorscape $20.99. Award winner.
6 to adult – Qwirkle won many awards including Mensa. It is similar to dominoes as it is made up of 108 wooden tiles. You  mix and match the 6 different shapes and colors to play strategy games $30.99

With one of the largest selections of top quality hair extensions in Quebec, ER Extension’s ultra hair boutique can handle all your hair extension needs. Choose from clip extensions, hot fusion, cold fusion, tape fusion, loop fusion…you name it, they’ve got it.

All of their extensions are made from fine quality 100% human Indo-European cuticle directional Remy hair. This hair comes from the exclusive Hindu Temples of northern India. It is virgin hair which has been colored only once.

ER carries all hair extension colors, textures & lengths in stock at all times. Finding what you need is quick and easy. Whether you’re looking to simply purchase hair extensions, or for professional hair extension installation, you’ll find it here.

Fusion extensions are installed in 2-3 hours and will last 4-6 months. They include hot and cold fusion and will add length, volume, highlights, lowlights and colorlights to your hair.

Location: 2070 Crescent St
corner: de Maisonneuve
Tel: 514-788-5599 or 1-866-789-5599
Metro Stop     Station Peel / Station Guy-Concordia
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Fri 10-9, Sat 12-4
www.ERhair.com  www.Rallonges.com

Liquidation store: JRC Toy Warehouse 5589 Royalmount
Award Winning Toys: Kidlink 5604 Monkland Ave,
Newest Crazes: Golteez 7073 ch. Cote St-Luc Rd.

Arts and crafts at Les Serres:
Eco crafts, 20 earth friendly projects $21.99
Zipper Art $19.99
Portable Easel: Magnetic, Marker board, blackboard $29.99
Ketto Tea Set: You paint it yourself with paint and brushes $19.99
Crayola Glow Crazy drawing with light

Classic toys updated: Electronic Monopoly uses no paper money, a debit card instead
Operation Star Wars: Operate on R2D2
Lego Friends for girls: blocks come in pink to make doll houses

New cool idea: Tagamoto:  You build a road and place bar codes on it. Motorized cars have readers and can react to the codes: honk horn, blink lights, have a crash. 9.99-39.99. www.mastermindtoys.com

Here’s an original gift idea that could get all of the family playing together. Canada Billiard and Bowling sells pool tables which convert into dining room tables. So you do not have to have extra room for this fun activity. For gift ideas, you can have fun with air hockey or ping pong tables, shuffleboard, dart boards and soccer games.

Around since 1973, pool tables have come a long way since then. I liked their modern white and chrome one. Pool cues run $35 – $39.95 for a 1-piece model and $59.95 – $2,000 for 2 pieces. Besides the pool tables and accessories (like lamps and chairs), they sell Epco bowling balls and Dexter bowling shoes.

Location: 4050 boul. Industriel, Laval
corner: boul. Dagenais
Tel: 450-963-5060
Hours: Regular
www.canadabillard.com