Welcome to the world, Ainsley Maeve Murphy!!

This morning at 9:05, Ainsley Maeve finally decided it was time to see the world outside her mom Debra's belly. We're very excited to welcome her at long last! And very happy to report that both mommy and baby are doing great.

Naturally, we had to look up some vial info about Ainsley's birth chart:
-Ainsley is an Aquarius, Pisces ascendant, with her moon in Aries.
-She is born at the very end of the year of the dog, and very early in the hour of the snake (yin, fire)
-Her birth number is 5 (lots of change!), with a life path of 6 (she'll be good with people and relationships) and a destiny number of 7 (the number of the mystic and the student).

Congratulations once more to Ainsley, Debra, Tim, Elspeth and Shirley! What a great way to start off the year!

Coat and Boot drive

Freezing out, isn't it? Can you imagine what it would be like if you were less well equipped to deal with the weather? If you had no warm coat, or no good boots to shield you from the elements? ..and yet hundreds of people in our city face this dilemma every day.

Melange Magique is collecting up your old coats and boots to donate to Bon Dieu Dans la Rue. Please take the time to look through your closet and see if you have any old coats or boots in good repair that can be given to someone who may be in dire need of warmth and help this winter.

All donations will be picked up by Bon Dieu Dans la Rue on February 9th, so please do bring in your donations before then.

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

Cold City, warm hearts!

Sure seems like winter has finally caught up with us, doesn't it? As I look out the store's front window, Saint Catherine street is a blur of white.

Happily, it's nice and toasty warm inside today, and there is plenty for us to do to prepare for Imbolc and Valentine's day (including decorating the store, of course!)

Come by and visit if you're in the area, if for no other reason then to warm up a little and see whats new. We have a bunch of new books in, as well as calendars for the new year still available.

Bonne année!

Bonne année à tous et toutes qui suivent notre blog!

Le nouvel an apporte habituellement du renouveau, mais pour la situation féline du magasin, tout est revenu comme avant. Nous sommes revenus à seulement deux chats, donc Knick Knack et Tequila. Ces deux la ne quitteront pas le magasin de si tot, apparament ^_^.

Le CMS (Crescent Moon School) offre toujours des cours et un autre semestre commencera au mois de février. Pour plus ample information, vous pouvez passer au magasin ou venir la journée Porte Ouverte le 26 janvier. Plusieurs professeurs et anciens élèves seront présents

Depuis la semaine passée, le "Pagan Moot" (Rassemblement paien... Je sais que ça ne sonne pas aussi bien à l'oreille, mais bon :P!) a débuté. Donc, à tout les mardi vers 7pm, vous êtes invités à vous rendre au café Fuego pour rencontrer plein de gens intéressants et passer une soirée en bonne compagnie. Le café Fuego se trouve tout prêt du magasin, j'ajouterai l'adresse sous peu.

Puisque la Saint-Valentin s'en vient, le Mélange pour se refaire une beauté. Nous sommes en train de préparer plein de produits vraiment mignons(mais tout de même si utile!) pour l'amour, les couples et autres. Aussi, toute la décoration de Noel est partie (Finalement!) et fera place à de la décoration pour la Saint-Valentin. Ne vous inquètez pas, il n'y aura pas de rose "quétaine" partout ;).

Bon, coté séminaires et activités, nous avons finalement plusieurs activités qui se sont concrétiser pendant le temps des fêtes! Voici ce qui s'en vient:

"Paganism 101" est un séminaire d'une soirée où plusieurs questions par rapport au paganisme seront répondues, dont "Qu'est-ce que le paganisme?", "D'où vient le paganisme?" et "Quelles sont les croyances et pratiques du paganisme comtemporain?". Venez discuter du sujet à l'intérieur de cette introduction au paganisme.

Un ou plusieurs séminaires sur les pouvoirs psychiques (encore une fois organisé par Catharine) sont en route. Catharine regarde si le temps lui permetterais de refaire l'expérience qu'elle a qualifié de grand succès. Donc, tout ceux qui sont intéressés peuvent nous appellés dans les jours qui suivent pour plus ample information.

Un séminaire de méditation est en chantier présentement. La date tentative pour l'instant est le 1 février. Le séminaire consistera à apprendre comment méditer selon plusieurs techniques et de voir laquelle est mieux pour soi. Une expérience qui pourra aider plusieurs personnes à garder les pieds sur terre dans la vie de tout les jours. Plus d'information sur l'activité dans les jours qui suivent.

Je crois que tout ceci sera suffisant pour l'instant. Je voulais bien écrire un petit quelque chose pour Imbolc, mais voyant que ça m'a prit 5 heures écrire ce qu'il y a plus haut, je vais attendre au prochain message!!

Boxing Week Sales!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! We all seem to have survived the madness of shopping and family gatherings in tact, and have regrouped just in time to prepare for Boxing Week.

There are several fun sales going on this week:

-50% off all water fountains
-50% off all celtic home decor items
-75% off liquidation table (candle holders, wands and more!)
-25% off limited edition Amy Brown statues
-35% off damaged limited edition Amy Brown statues
-and because it was such a great sale, we're still offering our buy 3 fairyballs, get 3 fairyballs deal.

If that isn't enough to tempt you, I don't know what is!

More New Gifts for Yule

Today we received yet another wonderful box of new stock!!

- Onyx morters & pestles
- Gorgeous Asian wishing pots

And... STONES STONES STONES! We have more stones in!

The Wishing Pots are my favorite! We have black ones and white ones. They each come with a stone and are for different purposes: Health, Love, Prosperity, and Wisdom.

Holiday hours begin tomorrow!

It's been fairly crowded in here recently, as people have begun to feel the pressure of holiday shopping, and running out of time. To try to accomodate our clientele's needs, we've expanded our hours. As of tomorrow, and until Christmas, Melange Magique's physical location will be open until 9pm on weeknights! Our weekend hours will remain 10am to 6pm on Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday.

Drop on by! We'd love to see you.

Merry Sinterklass!

I only recently learned about Sinterklass, but it's an absolutely sweet holiday. Celebrated mainly in the Netherlands, Sinterklass, celebrated on the eve of December 5th and during the day of December 6th, is the day when St. Nicholas ('Sinterklass') arrives with his assistant 'Black Pete' from Spain, with a book to take notes on how all the children have behaved all year. If they have been good, they get chocolates and gifts, and if they have been naughty they get lumps of coal. The worst children got stuffed in his bag and taken back with him to Spain.

To all our Dutch friends out there, a very merry Sinterklass!

For more information about this festival, visit http://www.mikids.com/Sinterklaas.htm

Après le rituel...

Bonjour tout le monde!

Oui, oui, je sais. Il y a déjà plus d'un mois qu'un poste en français a été écrit. Je vais donc faire un petit résumé de ce qui se passe au magasin et dans la petite communauté qui s'y est formée.

Un des changements majeurs, à mon avis, est le fait que Little Kitty n'est plus dans le magasin. Et oui, le jeune chat tout énervé s'est trouvé une petite maison bien à lui. Merci à Fred, la gentille dame qui a décidé de donner un toit à Little Kitty. Pendant ce temps, nous avons un troisième chat quand même! Oscar, un autre chat apporté par Debra, est un vieux chat de 18 ans. Il est noir et blanc, très calme et paresseux. Il s'entend beaucoup mieux avec les 2 autres chats de plus de 10 ans. Pour l'instant, autre qu'il faut garder Tequila et Knick Knack à distance lorsque Oscar mange (car il lui manque quelques dents, on lui donne donc de la nourriture mouillée, le chanceux!), tout va bien.

Coté activité, simplement quelques séminaires sur les pouvoirs psychiques organisé par Catharine, le Yule Fair et le rituel publique pour Yule, ces deux derniers organisés par CUPS (Concordia University Pagan Society).

Les séminaires de Catharine, séparés en deux parties, ont été un succès. A chaque fois, un chiffre impressionant de gens se sont présentés. Une belle réussite, il y a une possibilité d'avoir une troisième partie, alors montrez de l'intérêt pour l'activité pour convaincre Catharine!

Le Yule Fair a été calme, à mon avis. Je m'attendais à avoir beaucoup plus de gens viendrait. Malgré la mauvaise température, la journée s'est très bien passée. Beaucoup d'artisans locaux étaient présent, beaucoup BEAUCOUP de belles choses à acheté. Il y avait aussi quelques personnes qui offraient des services, plusieurs de tirage de cartes et une personne qui offrait des tatoos temporaire au henné. Je me demande encore si elle a été populaire, mais son travail est exquis tout de même.

Le rituel publique pour Yule est finalement terminé. J'ai personnellement travaillé à traduire les passages où le "Oak King" et le "Holly King" parlait... Bon, j'ai aussi joué le "Holly King", mais c'est un détail ^_^. Il n'y a eu aucun dérangement extérieur, nos "Warders" ont fait un beau travail. Une belle réussite du CUPS, encore une fois.

Pour les produits, OH MA DÉESSE! Nous avons recu plein de nouveau produits! En voila une liste approximative (je vais surement en oublier!)
- Nous avons des nouvelles figurines de fées. C'est tout nouveau, elles sont magnifiques ET les ailes sont attachés par un petit aimant, donc pas besoin d'avoir peur d'abimer les ailes fragiles de ses mignonnes créatures.
- Des nouvelles chandelles sont arrivées. Elles sont déjà mélangées avec de l'huile pour avoir un effet particulier et elles viennent avec un collier pour utiliser comme un talisman.
- Nous avons des batons de sauges fait à la main et des poches de cuirs fait à la main aussi. La qualité est incroyable, je vous assure!

Il y a plein d'autres choses qui entrent lentement dans le magasin, venez nous voir pour regarder les nouveaux produits et venez nous voir aussi :)!

Blessings from Natives

We have discovered a new artisan from the Native American community. Erin from South Ontario came by with incredible silver sage smudges (6-inch blended bundles and 2-ing mini bundles), hand-stitched deerskin medicine pouches (small for little talismans and large belt pouches), as well as the most incredible sacred feather box with all inlaide wood designs and hand carving. Beautiful, actually stunning, gifts for Yule. Come check them out before they are all gone, as quantities are very limited.

More! More! More!

The endless unpacking, as new stock arrives, is akin to unwrapping a ceaseless parade of Christmas gifts. There has been lots of 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing, all around. Since Tuesday, we have reveived a huge shipment of, you guessed it, more fairy statues! Cute and affordable, these ones. We've also gotten in a bunch of amazing birch stars and moons, all hand made from completely natural materials. Some of the moons even have moss on them! How cool is that?!! Plus, scented candles with adorable pendants on them (most seem to be made with some kind of abalone shell inset into them, a few are celtic, and a few others are asian in style)

Phew! The store is getting pretty full!

On my end of things, the shipping department has been going crazy, getting weborders together and out. Please be sure to check the holiday delivery dates on our site when you order, to be sure you've chosen a method of delivery that will get you the gifts you purchase on time for the holidays!

Oooh, shiny...

We have scrying mirrors back in stock as of today!! So cool!

We have a few new kinds of stones available in store (mini-geodes, aquamarines, jet, gorgeous new quartz crystal points...).

We have more fairy statues to put out (I know! I'm very pleased about it too!)

AND, most exciting, we have a really amazing sale, just in time for the holidays: Buy 3 fairyballs and GET 3 fairyballs. Seriously. Now, the 3 you pick all have to be the same size, but just imagine how awesome your holiday tree (Christmas tree, yule log, Channukah bush...) will look covered in these gorgeous orbs! I'd get a set in each size myself...

Yule Gifts Galore!

We have been bringing in new stock for the holidays and stocking up on some older stock that we have had some difficulty getting. Here is the list of exciting gift ideas!

ON SALE THIS MONTH
- 5-inch cauldrons 20% off (reg. $26.95 now $21.50)
- T-Shirts 75% off (reg. $34.95 now $8.75)
- New Oil Diffusers $9.95 (get a free 5ml bottle of oil with every purchase of a diffuser)

NEW IN THIS WEEK
- the oil diffusers mentioned above :)
- Sage smudges at last!
- Triloika incenses
- Oil diffusers of new and lovely Asian styles
- Brassware !!! YAY!!! (candle holders, bells, censors, and more)
- wall plaques
- statues

CAT NEWS!!
Little Kitty has found a new home! Thanks to the MPRC's Winnifred for giving him a great new home with her family.

New addition is the ancient Oscar. Oscar is the boss's very affectionate 18-year-old black & white long-haired cat. Come be welcomed and loved by him!

Ansd the store's decor is ever changing as we shift into the Yule Season!!

Changing of the seasons...

This week we swept away the cobwebs and fallen leaves of Samhain and began to decorate for Yule. Out came the tree, the tinsel and the garlands. It's only a matter of time before there is festive music playing and the warm-fuzzy spirit of holiday shopping maddness...ahh, Christmas.

As much as it might be a hectic time of year, I've always rather enjoyed working in the store during the holiday rush. We get all sorts of new items in, just for the holiday, and we often get to be creative with gift ideas and helping people to shop for their loved ones. (Besides, any time we get to redecorate the store, it's fun to come in to see what else has changed!)

Come in next week to see the winter wonderland we make out of the shop!

Oh..I almost forgot! For those who have been waiting, sage smudges are back in stock at long last!!

Thank you!

I just want to personally thank everyone who contributed to the success of my Shave to Save fundraising campaign. Thanks to your generosity, I raised $2137 for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. I'm very proud of me, and I'm very proud of you, too.

Come in to see my new do (or lack thereof!).

Samhian and media attention +++

Well the interviews thus far have been great. On Thursday last week, I was interviewd by Global as one of the 5-part episodes they are doing for this Halloween week. Hobbes from the MPRC was interviewed by a French McGill newspaper that same day. On Sunday he was aired on CBC radio for yet another interview.

Yesterday I was invaded by a HUGE class from Dawson College for an introduction to Wicca and Paganism. I was so nervous because I had no idea what to expect or what to do do. I had no idea if it was an interview or a tour or a guest lecture or what. I had the opportunity to take them into the classroom for 20min for Wicca & Paganism 101 CONDENSED! They were a great group!

Today a different class (same teacher) is coming in for yet the same as yesterday, however i am alone on the floor so they will unfortunately not get the amazing condensed lecture that the first group got. *sigh* I still have no idea what I will say or what they hope to learn from the xpereince. I hope they are as interested/interesting and understanding as yesterday's class. I have to manage the store at the same time as they are here.

Then next Thursday I meet a student for an interview at Loyola. And... I have recommended that one of the Dawson students come Thursday night to talk to Hobbes for her paper.

This has been a busy Halloween with media and interviews and such, busier than last year!

And we had fun dressing up all weekend too!
Have a happy and safe Halloween and Samhain!

Samhain, Halloween et le magasin...

Et voila, nous sommes à quelques jours de Samhain! Et qu'est-ce que ca veut dire pour le Mélange Magique, autre que l'ascension spirituel grace à nos ancêtres?

Bien entre autre, une hausse de l'interêt médiatique. Plusieurs personnes, émissions de télévision et de radio, même des équipes de tournages ont des questions sur l'Halloween et sur Samhain. Le Mélange Magique devient donc le point central pour les entrevues, rencontres, questions sur le sujet. Nous sommes tous prêt à recevoir des gens qui, comme à chaques années, n'auront pas pris de rendez-vous au préalable. (Je dois admettre que cette année, tout semble bien organisé et structuré comparé aux années passées). Par contre, ca serait vraiment "le fun" d'avoir une équipe de tournage qui vient nous poser des questions sur des sujets paien comme l'on fait l'équipe de Witchboard 3. Vous vous souvenez de notre table de Ouija derrière le comptoir? Non, revenez au magasin pour le voir ^_^. Si oui, bien c'est les gens du tournage qui nous ont fait don de la table pour notre aide!!

Aussi, cela annonce que nos employés seront déguisés jusqu'au 31 octobre!! Par exemple, moi aujourd'hui, j'ai sorti mon habit rayé, la cravate et Sam m'a prêté son chapeau et le gangster "Yan Corleone" s'est emparé du magasin ^_^. Nathalie a sorti son chapeau de pirate pour la journée! Elle ne fait pas assez de "YAAAR!" à mon avis, mais ne lui dite pas ;)!

Bon, je retourne au travail. Bref, venez faire un tour pour rire de nos costumes étranges :D!

Samhain Crunch!

As Samhain fast approahes, so does the deadline for one of our co-managers. She is participating in the Mix96's Breast Cancer Shave to Save. We are supporting her in this noble endeavor as much as we can. She still needs to raise $700 more dollars to meet the goal of $2000. We have till Sunday at 5pm. She then goes to be shaved Monday October 30th, just in time for Samhain.

It is important to think of those you have passed at this time of year. Breast cancer has touched so many lives.

In this Samhain cruch, the media is also getting involved. They want to hear all about Pagans, Witches, Occult and the myths and tales around Halloween and Samhain. Several interviews have already been done and where possible we have mentioned our desire to give back to the community at large. We offer many different services from spiritual counselling, helping with rites of passage and seasonal ritual, providing advice and supplied for spellcrafting, and hosting clairvoyants & workshops and even a Pagan school.

This year we have also done alot to give to the community in other ways. During our 15th Anniversary Weekend (our Mabon event), we held events and activities to raise funds for the SPCA. For Samhain, we working towards raising $2000 for breast cancer research. For Yule we are engaging in the Children's Christmas Shoebox project. We will have more information on this later on.

Have a happy and safe Halloween and Samhain. Remember your ancestors and thank them. You are here and who you are because of them.

Blessings from all the staff at Le Melange Magique!

Samhain, season of filmcrews

Every year, around this time, we get a host of calls from television and radio stations, wanting to do interviews and shows about the store, witches, witchcraft, Samhain and Halloween. Most of the stations know to call in advance to book a day and time to come in, but it's happened that we've just had film crews walk right in, cameras running, in the past. Given that this is one of the busiest times of year for us, you can only imagine the chaos of trying to work around film crews and a store full of customers.

This year we've managed the incredible feat of having everything organized, at least. So far, so good. We'll see if people stick to the plan next week, as the holiday itself approaches. (Usually thats when we get the most last minute calls).

When we find out about what times and stations we'll be airing on, I'll do my best to have someone post it here so you can all tune on in!

More than halfway there!

That's right! I have now received over $1000 in pledges for my Shave to Save campaign to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. I've been so moved by the generosity and consideration I've received thus far, but don't stop now! The goal is in sight, but only you can help make it happen!

I'll be collecting pledges and donations up until October 29th. The big shave is still scheduled for October 30th at 8am on Montreal's Mix 96.