Shop Thoughts

We’re kicking off March break with a fervent nod to our childhoods. We’re hosting a book fair!

For those of you who are interested in a little more details about these folks, I’ve put together a few words about our guests so you can plan your visit and check out their goods beforehand! 

Little Ghosts: A Good Story Will Haunt You

Our pal and fellow small business owner Chris Krawczyk opened Canada’s first horror genre book shop in April of last year on Dundas St. West in Toronto. It’s an adorably spooky little spot with big black bookcases, a rolling library ladder and a 12 foot tall skeleton on the back patio. Little details pepper the shop with frightful intentionality; a wall of disembodied hands here, a coffin shaped mirror there. With a focus on small and independent works, Little Ghosts has created a wonderful and inclusive space for anyone seeking a literary thrill. 

Happily Ever After Books: A Bookstore For Romantics

In the beautiful realm of unlikely friendships, Happily Ever After Books was introduced to us through Little Ghosts! Not having a brick-and-mortar shop themselves, Happily Ever After has done pop-ups at the horror book shop forming a perfectly adorable meeting of niche literary interests. A new business as well, owner Jenny believes in the life changing ability of books and hopes to deliver everyone their own style of happily ever after.

The Sidekick: Comic Shop & Cafe

A Leslieville, Toronto staple for the coffee and comic book curious! The Sidekick offers up a variety of in-house roasted coffees, drinks & snacks alongside their ever growing comic & graphic novel selections. Go for a coffee and a comic, stay for a beer and a sandwich!

Aaron Millard: Illustration & Cards

Illustrator and pun enthusiast, Aaron creates whimsical greeting cards to surprise and delight any recipient. With their familiar characters and plays on words his work is adorable and fun.

Looking to round out your Wolfe Island plans this weekend? Check out The Hotel Friday night for collaborative music with Joyful Joyful, Michael C. Duguay & New Hermitage. After you come to Fishtale on Saturday and buy a book & a cookie, consider sneaking in to see the Heather Haynes Art Exhibit when the Hotel opens at 4pm!

We're right in that holiday crunch time. If you have anyone left to shop for things are starting to get a bit hectic. Don't worry! We've got lots of great last minute gifts at the shop. As always, we urge everyone to keep supporting local makers and shopping at all their favourite local boutiques. This year it counts more than ever!

The time between Christmas Eve and New Years is simultaneously the longest and shortest week imaginable. Many shops are closed and running out of milk (or Baileys) can rightfully be considered a family emergency. Time slows down with big meals and warm gatherings but somehow we'll be stepping into the new year in the blink of a proverbial eye.

Personally, I think the best way to coast through the holiday season is with rotating charcuterie boards and mulled cider. Grab yourself a beautifully made board by Stone Road Woodworks (we have lots) and keep it topped with all your favourite snacks. Wilton cheddar, anyone?

With the year winding down Annelise and I wanted to thank everyone who has shopped with us this year and from the very beginning. It really means the world to us. Every compliment or encouraging word really kept us going through this stressful year. We couldn't have done it without your support. We love you to the moon, you crazy kids!

We wish you all a very happy holidays, whatever you celebrate. Let's face it, we all have high hopes for 2021.

Cheers!

This year is a strange one for everyone. A lot of us are separated from our families and friends and will remain that way over the holidays. It sucks. A lot. We're having a bit of a hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year and that's saying something because we consider ourselves semi-professionals in the art of festive cheer. How does one manufacture cheer? We decided the other day that we're going to send a little something to as many people near and dear to us as we can. We should all do our best to brighten each other's days, even if it is from afar. It doesn't cost much (if anything) to put a smile on someone's face and this year is certainly a good time to spread a bit of love.

So here goes! We have some suggestions for inexpensive gifts that go a long way and ship easily.

Starting with a fan favourite we have candles by Rhicreations. Made with soy wax and sometimes a mix with Wolfe Island beeswax, they are long burning and beautifully scented. This year's festive candle is Holly Day, a blend of dreamy Christmas scents that doesn't overpower. Truly any of these candles are hits.

Next up we have the lovely locally made soaps from Wolfe Island Soapworks. Check out the Geranium Soap for a nice floral punch! Consider pairing it with a Lemongrass Lime Bath Bomb and a mini candle to make a little apothecary gift set for under $30!

Annelise and I both have a fondness for miniature things and boy are these Bud Vases from Owen Davies a hit! We have a variety of styles so you can pick one that really suits your gift recipient.

Another great gift we have is these Island-made wrist wallets by Marcia McEwen. Big enough for your phone and your keys, these come in a variety of different prints and are only $20! 

To finish off today's blog I'll leave you with a cocktail recipe which is of course another great way to brighten someone's day. If you're a fan of a classic whiskey sour or old fashioned try this easy to make, bright & citrusy sip.

Island Sour
2 oz bourbon (or whiskey)
½ oz maple syrup
½ oz orange juice
¼ oz lemon juice
4 dashes Angostura bitters
Serve over ice. Garnish with Maraschino cherries and orange or lemon peel

Next up: Foodies, amateur bartenders & all things locally made.

Welcome to the Fishtale Holiday Gift Guide!

Over the next few weeks we're going to give you some ideas for how you can shop easily for all the different people on your list. We figured we'd start with the most difficult person and leave the easy stuff for later. So without further ado, let's call this mission: Present Impossible.

Everyone has at least one person to shop for who already has everything. Either they buy everything they need or want (my brother) or maybe they simply don't need anymore stuff. We're certainly not advocates for overconsumption but it is always nice to get a gift. So, for the person who has everything we have some suggestions!

To begin: Consumables! First up we have chocolate. Personally, we're big fans. We carry a wide variety of Postcard Chocolate Bars by Alicja Confections, a chocolatier out of Ottawa. There is such a wild variety that you are just about guaranteed to be able to find a fun option for pretty much anyone. To top that off, they are also postcards and can be stuck right in the mail! Ramen Noodle milk chocolate anyone? If you're in the Ottawa area, be sure to check out their shop on Bank Street. 

If your gift recipient is a coffee drinker, consider grabbing them the 454 Box from our friends at Haymakers Coffee Co. There are no wrong answers here but we suggest you pick a couple different roasts for them to try. You could also opt for our Breakfast Club gift box which includes a half pound of their coffee if you're feeling like bestowing some local maker love upon them.

Next on the list is the cozy category. Everyone likes a little something warm and boy do we have options! Our personal favourites are the hand knit felted slippers Knit by Lola makes here on Wolfe Island. They're 100% wool, super warm and cute as heck. We have a selection in store and online but she is also in the shop on the 28th & 29th with her wares so stop by! She also makes felted wool mittens that would be a lovely gift and require a bit less guesswork for sizing purposes.

Last but very much not least, a great option to consider for the person who has everything is a donation to a charity made in their name. On the Island we support Wolfe Island Friends of Ferals, an organization that helps manage feral cat colonies. In the Kingston area we support the Kingston Humane Society and the Kingston Interval House. We recommend looking into the organizations in your area and doing your research to make sure the funds are handled appropriately. 

So there you have it folks! Hopefully this little guide has given you some ideas for how to handle the tough to shop for person in your life. If not, come see us in the shop and tell us a little about them we'd be happy to help!

Next up on the blog: Gifting under $30 and a Fishtale holiday cocktail recipe! 

Well hello! Here we are, reaching the end of 2020. Constantly hearing buzzwords like pivot and adapt along with "these unprecedented times", we're putting that into action and (among other things) starting a blog. We aren't going to lie to you, it has been an incredibly tough year. We won't get into the details, we know everyone is struggling in their own way this year. Instead we wanted to start off this blog by letting you get to know us a little better. So here goes:

Fishtale Shop is a little lifestyle shop located on Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada. If you're not familiar with the island, it's a pretty quick ferry ride away from downtown Kingston. We're a part of the Frontenac Islands in Frontenac County. Within the scope of Canadian landmarks we're the largest of the Thousand Islands, nestled in where the Saint Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario. Wolfe Island is charming as heck, beautiful, and it's where we live and work year-round.

Our local community is small but mighty. From candle makers and soap makers, to seamstresses and woodworkers, the island truly has a wealth. We do our best to showcase these incredibly talented local makers here at our shop. Our focus from the beginning has been to represent Canadian made goods, as close to home as possible. We consider these people to be friends and we value them tremendously. When you support a small business like ours, you really do support a community. 

Now, to be a little more specific. Fishtale Shop is owned and operated by pals Annelise Lallemand and Caitlin Deachman. We met at a previous job in Ottawa and have been friends for more than a decade. We both come from creative backgrounds and have been making things our whole lives. Our shop is pretty much an extension of who we are as people. We believe in supporting our friends, shopping smart, ethically, and small. Oh and also, we love dogs.

Stay tuned for our Fishtale Holiday Gift Guide, starting Friday!