The Magic of a Greeting Card

In the world of emails, text messaging, and Facebook you would think that sending greeting cards would be an extinct habit. But surprisingly, It’s not! Just go to Hallmark around Valentine’s Day or Christmas and you’ll see just how many people still love to give and receive greeting cards. I know that my heart still always warms when someone gives me one. In fact, I have a box full of heartfelt cards from the last ten years. Every once and a while I like to take a trip down memory lane and read old cards. They can make you laugh or cry, but it’s always an enjoyable experience.

Sometimes you get the most gorgeous card that you just have to frame it. Or you may get an incredibly unique card that you show everyone. Uniqueness is key at Orangefish of course, so we have a variety of funny, silly, and even heartfelt cards that really stand out from any other mass produced ones.

Picking out a card is a very personal experience. It’s all about picking the card that speaks to you and embodies the occasion. I take great care in picking my cards because I think they say just as much as the gift does. It’s the first thing the recipient opens and it immediately sets the tone of the whole gift.

Check out Orangefish’s collection of gift cards here.

What’s the most memorable card you’ve ever received? Do you keep all the special cards given to you?

Planning a Glam Oscar Party

So many of us dream of one day becoming a famous movie star and wearing a glamorous dress to award shows like the Oscars. Well, you probably won’t be at the Oscars any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun during awards season!

            Enjoy the Oscars glamour from your home with an awards-themed party. Invite your friends over, get dressed up in cocktail dresses, and sip on martinis while watching the show to see who wins the biggest awards of the night. Any excuse to wear a fancy dress is good for me! You can even do your own best dressed nominees for the people at your party. You can have small cute favors for the winners and so a silly runway show.

            Martinis are the perfect cocktail for an Oscars party. Make a signature Oscars martini, then create a make your own martini station with a bunch of fruits, olives, juices, and alcohols. Then you guests can make their own signature Martini and sip it in style as you watch your favorite celebs walk the red carpet. If you do decide to do a runways best dressed show, your guests will thank you for the martinis!

            The show is pretty long (especially if you’re including the pre-show red carpet) so make sure you provide your guests with food. Try out these ideas:

-       Cupcakes topped with icing and metallic decorations

-       Appetizers like puff pastry packets

-       Fruit salad

-       Mini chicken skewers

-       Bacon wrapped cantalope pieces

-       A fondue station

-       Macaroons dipped in chocolate

-       Mini quiches

-       Bruschetta

-       Boccocini and tomatoes cut up and skewered on a stick with basil and balsamic

-       Bacon wrapped breadsticks

-       Prosciutto wrapped figs

-       Sushi

To spice things up a bit, add a little gambling. Bet on who will win best picture, best actress and actor, and best supporting actor and actress. Who knows, you may walk away with a little extra change in your pocket! But make it more about fun, then driving all your friends broke. If you need to kill some time before everyone arrives, try doing a little past Oscar trivia with questions about past winners and memorable moments.

"The Last Ones" Sale!

As a very active online shopper I know the feeling when I’ve seen something I really loved, but put off buying it off for a few weeks, hoping it would go on sale. But I also know that sad feeling when I go back to see if it’s still there and it’s all sold out. Websites never tell you if they only have a few of a certain item left, so you never know when you should buy it! Have you ever been to a store and found the most adorable shirt and discovered that it was the last one, and surprise, it’s in your size! It’s the best feeling ever. Like you have the privilege of getting the last of something. It’s a magical little discovery that’s yours.

But guess what! Orangefish is running a sale this weekend that will let you know what products have only 1 of them left. So you can grab the last one before it’s gone forever!

Just go to bargain buys, and click on “sale”. And to make the sale a little juicier everything is 10-60% off!  So now there’s no regrets when you buy that item you’ve been eyeing. The only regret you’ll have is if you don’t get the item – it’ll be the one that got away! And no one likes that!

Some of the highlights are the Blue Tagua Necklace featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things. Its fair trade and environmentally friendly so you’re doing even more than just getting a great deal!

The Chalkboard Vase is an Orangefish favorite. You can write unique messages on it and surprise your special someone or family members. Add a little extra special style to a bouquet of flowers!

The Flirtini Glass is a fun gift for any single gal. It has a special delicious drink recipe on the bottom. Have a fun girls night where you try out your favorite drink recipes and drink out of your unique glasses while watching chick flicks.

So make sure you head on over this weekend and check out what’s on the list! Because who knows if you’ll ever see it again!

How to Approach Commitment-Phobia

As I discussed in my last few blogs, Valentine’s day can have a lot of pressure placed on it. But it also gives your guy the perfect chance to step up and show you how much he means to you. I don’t mean by buying you an expensive Tiffany’s necklace (though we all do love that little blue box!) Your mom may have told you “it’s the thought that counts” when you were younger, and she was right!

If you’ve put thought into your gift and date then that’s all that matters! But if the motivations behind it seem suspect (as in, don’t buy her a bathroom scale), you’ll get sent to the doghouse!

Check out this hilarious video for what not to do. It’s about Christmas, but its relevant year round:

And of course valentine’s day can sometimes trigger a rise in commitment-phobia. Heading to a romantic dinner where you’re surrounded by lovey-dovey married couples, sharing their meals surrounded by gaudy amounts of pink and red can send both men and women into a tailspin. It can be overwhelming! Cue commitment breakdown. Commitment-phobia is always a tricky issue to deal with. Ultimatums are never a healthy solution for a relationship. But neither is staying in one when you have a different understanding of your relationship than your partner. Whether you’re committing to dating or marriage always approach these things in an honest, open, and cautious way. There’s a fine balance between too much and too little pressure. So how do you find that balance? I always like to turn to my girl bible, Cosmo magazine when I need a little help.

They have a great article about having “the talk” with your man. Check it out here!

To summarize, they state that "A big mistake women make is not knowing what their expectations are." So before you talk to them, think about what you really want. Have a nice relaxing bath and do some self reflection.

• Don’t talk to them before or after sex (and certainly not during!). This is bad timing, and they won’t be as receptive to what you’re saying.
• Don’t talk about it in front of friends or family. That’s just cruel to both of you.
• The best time to bring it up is when you feel like you’re both connecting. Cosmo states, “for example, when you're coming back from a movie that you both agree was the best you've seen in years. "He'll be more receptive to discussing the relationship if he's feeling close to you," says Jane Greer, author of How Could You Do This to Me?”
• Don’t lead with “we have to talk”. You’ll just intimidate him and he’ll immediately get offensive. He’s seen the movies, he knows how this conversation is going to go.

Honesty is #1 in relationships. If you hope to have a future with him you have to embrace the truth!

Have you ever encountered commitment-phobia? How did you approach it?

The Single Girl's Guide to Valentine's Day

When you’re single Valentine’s Day can seem like the worst day of the year. But it’s all about perspective! Instead of mourning the fact that you’re single for one day of the year, celebrate your independence! Love comes in so many different forms. Spend the day with your family, best friends, or just indulging in loving yourself. You save money from not having to buy your boyfriend an overpriced gift so spend it on yourself or treating friends to a night out (cosmos on you!). Or plan a mini spa night where you sit back, chill out, do a mani pedi, maybe even bake a few cookies!  We’ve all been conditioned to believe that we should be depressed if we’re alone on valentines day. In the movies, the female star sits alone in her room, eating out of a tub of Hagan Dazs, sobbing about how alone she is. Just because we see this in the movies, doesn’t mean we have to feel that way too!
Have a Sex and the City Marathon
Invite over your bet girlies and watch a marathon of your favorite sex and the city episodes. Sip on some cosmos and channel your inner Bradshaw! Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda always proved that single gals can have fun too!
Head out for the Night
If you’re not quite in the mood to hit the bars, but don’t want to hide yourself inside your house check out a V.I.P movie theatre. It’s a 19+ area in your regular movie theatre that features super comfy leather seats, reserved seating, a bar, special gourmet theatre snacks (think steak nachos, paninis, etc), and waiters who come to take your order at your seat. Now that is watching a movie in style! 


I know blasting a little music always gets me smiling. Check out these songs:
This is a classic 90s songs. Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women.”

Sara Bareilles is always good for an “I am woman hear me roar” song. I’ve posted her song “King of Anything” before. Here’s her song “fairytale.”

Katy Perry’s “Firework” is another feel good, love yourself song.

Finally, I know some of you may be going through breakups right now, and Valentine’s Day can be hard. I love the song “Crushed and Created” by Caitlyn Smith. It has definitely played on my iPod before, and it always makes me smile.



Do you have any favourite independent women songs?

GG's Guide to Valentine's Day Dates

Valentines day is one of those days that can either be really stressful, or amazingly romantic. There’s definitely a lot of pressure to plan the perfect date. But from my experience, I’ve found that the more pressure and expectations you create, the less fun you have. And isn’t it really all about enjoying time with your loved one? I use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to try some new adventurous things! So, are you in need of some date ideas? No fear GG is here!

Revisit your past

Did you have a memorable first date with your special someone? Do you have that special day you spent together that you just can’t get out of your mind? A great Valentines Day idea is to revisit and recreate one of your favorite dates. If it was a day at the park, do that. If it was at a restaurant, go back there and order the same dish. Its great to look back at the past and see how far you’ve come. And its bound to bring out a few giggles!

Have a Restaurant Adventure

This idea requires a pretty big time and money investment but it is definitely unique! Make reservations for three different restaurants. At the first, pick an appetizer. At the second, pick a main course, and finally at the third choose a dessert. It’ll be your own mini culinary journey! You’ll get to taste a variety of foods (especially if you choose 3 different ethnic restaurants). You won’t be bored that’s for sure!

Make A Sexy Meal Together

If you and your lover like cooking why not try to be a chef team for a night. Pick a fun menu like one from an aphrodisiac cookbook (there are a lot of them out there!). Create a meal filled with figs, chocolate, rosemary, and other aphrodisiacs. If you watch the W network you’ll be familiar with “Anna and Christina’s Grocery Bags.” They spent a whole episode checking out the cookbook “inter-courses” and had a blast! Who says a meal at home has to be dull!

What are you planning on doing this Valentines Day with your guy? Do you have any date suggestions?

Text your < 3

It February, aka. the month of love! Well, maybe the weather isn’t giving us much love right now. But that doesn’t mean you can’t snuggle up with that special someone and escape the cold.

We’ve been told a million time that relationships are about communication. But in the last few years, the way we communicate has changed drastically. A couple centuries ago you had to walk across the city to tell someone you loved them. Then, you could mail them a letter. Then you could email them. And now you can just text them! So whether you’re long distance or simply down the road, you can talk to them pretty much 24/7 (though, trust me, no one likes being texted at 4 in the morning). 

Texting has created a whole new language. Save your fingers and instead of typing “I love you”, type “I <3 u”. And of course there’s the oft-used  :) and ;) and :P (a personal favorite of mine). The problem with texting is that it can be pretty difficult to decipher a person’s tone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve confused sarcasm for just plain rudeness. Note: if you’re being sarcastic, please put a :P, LOL or :) at the end so the text-sarcasm illiterate will know you’re joking. Putting symbols like J in your messages is great for personal conversations because it gives signals about your mood and tone, but it can certainly become a dangerous habit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to write a formal email and wanted so badly to put a J at the end (so they’ll know I’m not a horribly serious person and I’m usually quite happy!). Alas, there’s a time and a place for text-talk.   

If you love texting/msn/facebook/any kind of social networking site basically you’ll love these new necklaces we have in! They’re just so much fun! They take their inspiration from the symbols used in texting. And they’re sterling silver, so you can spend your time texting instead of trying to rub that green residue off your fake-silver necklace. They are small charms with some of the most popular symbols like:

:) - Happy

;) –Wink

\~/ -Drink

<3 –Love

OMG – Oh My God

LOL – Laugh out loud

My favorite one would have to be the wink charm. I am unfortunately physically incapable of winking. Trust me, its not pretty. I usually just end up looking like there’s something wrong with my facioe. Definitely not cute. So this charm is a nice alternative! It’s a little cheeky and shows that I’m a fun individual and I don’t have to contort my face to do it! I’ll definitely be sporting one of these! They make great fun gifts for your friends or a teenage daughter/niece. 

What’s your favorite text expression? How often do you text?

Looking to Save? Steal The Deal!

After the economic downturn everyone is being a bit more conscious about how they spend their money. We all love the feeling when we find that great deal (and love to tell everyone about it!). The sign of a good buy is when you know that you haven’t sacrificed quality for a low price. Companies everywhere are responding to the demand for lower prices and are giving consumers unique opportunities to save.

Don’t worry. You can stop saving your pennies in that “Jewelry Fund” jar (it was looking pretty empty anyways). I have a better way to help you save your money! Steal the Deal is an online company that gives members the chance to “steal” the daily deal. These deals often offer at least 50% off clothing stores, restaurants, spas, and lifestyle stores. Does it get much better than that? Its shopping without the guilt or buyers remorse!

Everyone will wonder what your secret is. All of a sudden you’re looking more stylish, talking about the coolest restaurants, and looking refreshed like you’ve just had a trip to the spa. If you want, you can share the savings love with them (or you can keep it all to yourself, but what’s the fun in that?) You can even be a good friend and grab one of the deals for them. It’s the perfect gift for that person on your list who is impossible to buy for.

Here’s how it works: all you have to do is sign up to be a member for the site. Then you designate what area you live in. Steal the deal runs their specials regionally so you’ll only have to see the deals that are relevant to you. No more digging through a pile of hay to find that golden needle! Check back every day because the deals are always changing! Who knows what you’ll find!

At Orangefish, we love a good deal! So of course we just had to run a deal on steal the deal. Check out the dates below to find out when a deal will be running in your area:

Feb 5 – Kitchener-Waterloo

Feb 6 - Calgary

Feb 7 - Hamilton

Feb 8 - Guelph

Feb 9 – Halifax & Oakville

Feb 10 – Missassauga

Make sure to use the orangefish referral code when you create your account: u607424

Happy shopping!