The thing about making memories is you don’t know which ones are gonna stick. Which moments in your life are going to be the things you look back on and remember when you’re old and tired and reflecting on what used to be. What you think are huge moments in your life might just end up forgotten while completely insignificant moments will find a spot in your brain, hunker down and stay there forever.
Take Christmas.
Blue flannel nightgown with cheap, itchy lace at the neckline and elasticized cuffs that left a mark on my wrists when I took it off.
Walking through the snow in my boots with my socks bunched up halfway down my feet, pressing into the arch of my foot.
Sitting cross legged on the floor with a magic marker and the toy section of a gift catalogue.
Those are my Christmas memories. As a grown up, I’m not sure anything will ever make me feel as happy and content as playing out in the snow all day, face and hands red with the cold, then coming home to put on that awful, uncomfortable flannel nightgown before plopping down on the floor with the gift catalogue.
Except maybe wine.
Just kidding. I don’t even really like wine, I just knew that’s what a lot of you were thinking. Because as discussed in a prior post, I am psychic.
And apparently so are the fine folks at Lee Valley, because they know that just because we’re grown ups doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate a night in flannel, flipping through a gift catalogue.
Lee Valley has an old timey feel to it. It feels comfortable and special and a bit old fashioned. Lee Valley feels like an old flannel nightgown. And as such, they have a Christmas Gift catalogue.
And because it’s Lee Valley it’s filled with things you had NO idea you absolutely had to have, but do. Take this little thing …
It’s a magnetic bar you put onto your clothing to hold your reading glasses. Mr. Lee (of Lee Valley) heard that my sister Pink Tool Belt really wanted one and he gave me one to give her. Not a single day has gone by without her pinning it to her outfit. Not. A. Single. One.
That incident proves several points:
1.Lee Valley carries things that are unique and useful and just plain fun.
2.The Lee family, who started and own Lee Valley, are just genuinely nice people.
3. When you get to be really, really, old, you’ll need to wear reading glasses. When you get to be really, really, really, REALLY old, you’ll not only need them, you’ll always forget where you put them.
If you’re following The Christmas Pledge, you know that tonight is the night that you’re supposed to chug a carton of egg nog in preparation for the next 3 days of be shopping for presents. You can do that chugging while browsing the Lee Valley Christmas Gift Catalogue, and virtually circling the things you want for yourself and for others.
Yup, for you!
Will $250 cover it? Good.
Because Lee Valley is giving one reader a $250 gift card right here and right now. To enter to win it all you have to do is browse through The Lee Valley Christmas Gift Catalogue, then come back here and let me know what you’d like to spend that $250 on. (Canadian dollars)
The contest ends Saturday November 19th at 11:58 p.m.
The winner will be announced in Monday’s post.
Now go get your flannel pajamas on and start browsing. And no. I do not care if you’re sitting at your desk at work. At all. Do it. It’ll make a great memory.
Sorry, the contest is now closed.
Ooo! The Candle Powered LED Lantern or the Squirrel Proof Feeder for starts.
The Camera Lucida, Watchmaker Cases (because I left mine at my old job and I really miss them), Dremel 3000, and a bunch of the Phone Holders, LED Direction lights and Mini Candle Lanterns for the infamous stocking stuffers that I get for everyone!
I’d go for the LED candles and the Whirley-Pop popcorn maker.
Um hello, nightgown and cap…how many of those could I get for $250?
So that plus a butter measuring guide. Everyone needs one of those.
Ooooo, I’ve been dying to get a motion activated camera to try and catch a picture of a fox that’s been hanging around our house! Lee Valley just happens to have a really nice on…SIGN ME UP! lol
Easier to pick out what I don’t want from Lee Valley! I like sharp things so the peasant chef’s knife, mandoline, and Yankee hatchet would all be useful.
I am really, really old and need reading glasses. I have four pair and can’t ever find any of them so attaching them to my bosom (yes I did say that, I am that old) would be an excellent solution to the problem of the disappearing glasses.
Mini metal models! I want the bat mobiles, the TV series one especially. And I could get any number of them for my dad and he would love them!
oh my goodness! too many good things!
knife sharpener… bird feeders… candle lantern, a bunch of outdoor yard stuffs… like that hatchet for example. and, if i must get something for someone else other than myself… it’d have to be the blocks and marble super set for the kids. 😉
Hmmm.. anything for the garden. Oh, and those led lanterns look pretty cool too!
My choice would be a gift card for my husband. For him, Lee Valley is like the shiny baubles women see in jewelry stores!
Wow…Lee Valley is such a neat store. Nothing like it anywhere else! With that gift card, I’m going to buy myself the Chef’s Choice Model 1520 Dual Knife Sharpener, and a Star Wars metal model kit for my grandson!
I just now realized I left all my bird feeders when I moved! I would love to replace those along with the chefs knife! I have been wanting one for ages but a good one is pricey and what’s the point of replacing my crappy one with a new crappy one?
I do love Lee Valley. And they are pretty much the only catalogue I will still allow into my mailbox. So, while I love the rare earth agents and the magnet cannon, what I have been trying to justify is the VegTrug Wallhugger. Soon..the first two are presents for others, but the last is a present for me!!
Tasha! I got my mother the VegTrug (not the wallhugger) this year as a present and it is GREAT. I own a LOT of Lee Valley products and this is one of the best. It looks great and you wouldn’t believe how much she grew in that thing. Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, swiss chard, radishes, carrots, beets and I can’t even remember what else. ~ karen!
That’s a cruel cruel thing to say!
Oh – and it is the rare earth magnets, not agents. Although rare earth agents would be cool.
I think I would spend the entire $250 on all the cool gadgets and things like the pastry kit and pastry blender. So many very great items. I love all the bird feeders too. It would be hard to make a final decision.
Would luv to try the produce keepers and need some of that outdoor LED lighting. And a few dozen other things!
The extendable shoehorn may be very useful for the expensive leather boots that I felt I must have even though putting them on can be a full aerobic workout.
How in heaven’s name do you expect us to choose? Unfortunately I didn’t see the chest on the cover inside the catalog or that would have been my first choice (maybe I didn’t look throughly).
And also BTW stay away from brussel sprouts missy, they have caused enough problems for the foreseeable future ??
Anything on the cover of a Lee Valley catalogue is something a customer made, so no, you can’t buy it. I’vwe had the same reaction many times.
The motion activated camera, the peasant chef knife, the indoor garden . I don’t think there’s a single page in the catalogue that doesn’t have something I either want for myself or as a Christmas present for family members… could go on an entire Christmas shopping spree all at Lee Valley!
What wouldn’t I?! The toys store for grown-ups!
hmmm, now wear to start? Well, the Wooden Petanque set would be awesome for the kids when camping as would the LED Lantern (got one for the folks a few years ago, very cool), of course the little man would love the Blocks and Marbles. Me? well, the folding kneeler stool (ain’t as young and flexible as I once was), the silicone canning mat, the gardeners wash basket, the Blunt umbrella (because here on the wet coast when it rains it is usually blowing and regular umbrellas don’t stand a chance)…. I could go on and on….
Ooo the grow lights and the convertible wagon are nice. And of course canning supplies. I can always use canning supplies.
The knife sharpener and he pinch and pour containers please!
I have my eye on the indoor grow light system for starting seeds or a collapsible bird feeder.
I like the Veg Trug Wall Hugger and the Box Grater. Odd duo, huh?
How am I supposed to choose!? So many cool items. I would narrow it down to the candle powered lamp and the vegetable spiralizer. Oh, and the rasper and zest container. And the Bear paw meat shredders…so cool and would come in very handy down here in pulled pork land and shredded chicken . 🙂 See, I totally can’t pick
I’m torn between the indoor grow light system for seeds and the steerable seat on wheels.
I would first purchase the Earbud Storage Cases, so I would never again have to hear “Mom, have you seen my earbuds?” I would get both the blue and green, but I have 3 kids, so the 3rd kid would have to settle for the Egg Light, which would help him find his earbuds in the dark. Unless I got him the Lanterna Lamp, which is really too fancy for him. Decisions, decisions…
So many neat things. I’d get a lot of the dexterity/eyesight/just all around useful helpers for my dad who’s survived a stroke and my mom who’s not as spry as she used to be. I’d love the Da Vinci models for my nephews, who are of course the smartest nephews in the world. Really , there were just a ton of things to interest and aid a lot of different people I know.
Humm – easier said than done! A Grow Lite Indoor Planter! Our bay window is wall to wall cactus and succulents that can’t take Manitoba winter! And a stitch picker as I seem to be the designated repair person! One could easily loss their grip looking st this Christmas Catalouge- one of those and one of those and…………..!
Was it just a few days ago that I said that the Lee Valley Catalogue reminded me of the old Sears Christmas Toy Catalogue??? And, dang, there it is looking me right in the eye! Could hardly believe it!
OMG!!! I’ve gone through it twice already and have a list of 10 items that I must narrow down.
Autoretractable hose reel
Folding aluminum table
Modular Cargo Organizer…all three
Quartz overhead radiant heater
Eliose low profile respirator
Digital moisture meter (for my wood)
Angle transfer tool
Stainless steel zester
The zester mate
and finally, because I have never been a successful gardener…the vegetable wall hugger
What fun!!! Love it! Talk about bringing back old Christmas memories! Now, back to the catalogue!
I would like the Dremel Tool Kit and the Carvery Tool Kit
Thank you very much!
Your psychic self already knew I wanted the gift card so I can get some toys for my kiddy, a metal model for my man, and most importantly – the beginner’s carving set and new dremel for me! I have not tried carving yet, but am pretty sure, given half a chance, I will be awesomely artistic and make things of great beauty. Or toothpicks.But they would be toothpicks of great beauty.
Pizza rocker cutter. Can’t find those anywhere. 🙁
I miss getting my Lee Valley catalogue in the mail, but I suppose online will have to do…I would love the popcorn popper and the indoor garden and I’m going to Calgary in December, so I can pick everything up…:)
WOW! There are so many options. But I think I would pick up a few of the LED flood lights to share with my son and daughter.
what wouldn’t be wanted!!! love it all. first off the tree leather bags for all family members. i hate that the plastic ones still make it into the house. NOT by me!
all the garden tools are sweet as are the chisels etc…….
LED lanterns are cool. Star Wars models look great. I may get the Lee Valley app too.
Thanks for the Christmas Gift Pledge for motivation.
Dear Santa,
I would be happy with anything from the Lee Valley Christmas Gift Catalogue, but these are my favorites~
The Seafood Scissors
The Remote Controlled LED Flashlight (awesome!)
The #80 Hurricane Lamp
The Garden Tool Set
The Folding Hand Truck
The Anti~Fatigue Wellness Mat
The Apple Peeler
The Mandolin
The Soft Food Slicer
Any Mortar and Pestle
Thanks, Santa!
janni
2 sets of Tin Stars, sets of 20 because you cant have too many stars , Classic French Mandoline for my daughter she bought me one yrs ago and I love it . and a toy for hubby the Hydraulic Robot Arm ..
Lee Valley rocks glad you reminded me to shop there this year.
Merry Christmas
Hello Karen. You are so nice, as is Lee Valley store, to give us this opportunity. And wishing you a very Merry Christmas, just in case I don’t see you. I fell in love with the Cash Mason bowls and the Irish Grandfathers nightshirt. And many many other things.
I would spend it on the knife sharpener.
I would love the handwoven basket…but I know the most fun would be in getting unique gifts for my family. My sister could use the ReadeRest, my other sister would like the wire wash baskets, and the magnetic book markers are great for stocking stuffers. Lee Valley is awesome!
Wow…what a fantastic selection of “goodies.” I’d spend the $250 on a combination of things for the grandkids and items for my earthquake preparedness kit (I live in California). Makedo Cardboard Building Kit, Cedar Board Kalimba, Blocks & Marbles Super Set, Kumihimo Cord Braiding Kit, Water Clock, Swedish Firesteel, Cree LED Headlamp, and Travel Soaps and Shampoos. That about covers the $250. But there are many more items I’d like to purchase, so I’d probably spend a lot more. 🙂
Regards,
Judy D.
Ooh! The 8 piece set of garden tools and the spade and pitchfork! Hmm, that might be a bit over! ?
The kangaroo pocket apron. Not for gardening though, but instead for when I’m tidying up the house and there’s crap everywhere that needs to be…..not everywhere.
And everything else in the catalog, because I’m pretty sure I can accomplish every bit of shopping for the holidays in one spot!
First I’d get the MakeDo cardboard kits for my hubs and daughter to play with (and to get them both out of my hair for awhile). I was looking at those elsewhere. For me, definitely the Marcato cookie press and the silicone canning mat. Spritz are my all time favorite cookies and I have 5 or 6 different presses already. I would never spend that much on one, but this one would let me get rid of them all. And the cookie scoops. Oh and the zester set. Oops… forgot the pastry kit cuz I’ve never been able to do rolled cookies. Something tells me I’m gonna go was over $250!
I would get The Large Squirrel Resistant Feeder and The Auto-Retracting hose Reel. And boom my Gift Card would be gone. Although I could go on…
Lots of fun stuff!
Anti-fatigue mat and a mandoline for sure… I’d have so much fun picking out the rest of the $250, but I never win anything!!!
Seeing that I haven’t got a Christmas for many years I think I would spend it all on me! I want a pasta machine and a mortar and pestle…and some more kitchen stuff probably….I would really like the Veg Trug Wall Hanger to grow my herbs in but…it’s a hard decision!
a Christmas gift…that is…
Instead of reading glasses, you can get a contact lens for one eye, for your non-dominant eye. It’s called monovision. For real. After 20 years of wearing a contact in one eye, I am ruined for glasses, they are a horrible pain, a contact is so convenient and easy, I’ll be sad if I outgrow it.
I try to tell people about monovision and they look at me like I just said Donald Trump is going to be the next president of the States. I will get my brother the glasses holder. He will LOVE it.
The cookie press to make beautiful cookies! And I’d love a mandolin!
Damn you, Karen. I’d managed to avoid looking at the catalogue this year. 🙁 I still have the Christmas catalogues from years past that I kept because of their beautiful photography. Oh my goodness, if I had a $250 gift card there, I’m sure I’d spend more than that. Here’s my best guess as to what I’d buy, right now (the more I look at their catalogues, the more intriguing things I spot!):
* the stainless steel rasp and zester holder – because a kitchen-goodie-collector friend has a similar one that I’m certain can’t be as good!
* the poptop popcorn popper – because I love popcorn and, although ever-dubious about microwave poppers, am always willing to try another one!
* the #20 cookie scoop – it’s been on my list of “things to get” for years, I just haven’t remembered when I’ve been anywhere that sells it
* the measuring glass – because it looks really cool (but doesn’t flour weight vary with humidity?)
* the black tic button fasteners – I do community theater in the Boston area, and we need these backstage!
* a blue water clock for my bathroom (and to educate my daughter because SCIENCE)
* the 50 piece magnet sampler because MAGNETS
* the Wallet Connect® Case because I like the idea of a case that snaps into my wallet
* the set of 3 – 3 oz GoTube Squeeze Tubes for travel
* the stand up pencil case because it looks really cool
Of course, that’s just the list from looking at the gift catalogue. That’s just a subset of what they sell, which is a whole lot of awesome stuff. I think I’d probably spend a week just contemplating before I bought ANYTHING.
‘Scuse me, I need to go wipe up the drool. I bet they sell a special cloth for that.
That camera lucida!
Wow! Where to start? I always love going through my Lee Valley Christmas catalogue. Let’s see…I love the Badger balm, felco pruner, set of lee valley garden tools (mine are garbage!), headlamp, wellness mat, danish dough whisks, tree leather tote bags just to name a few! Wish me luck!!
Didn’t know there was such a thing, but now I NEED an Ornithopter.
As I just bought yet another charging cable for my iPhone, the cable savers are timely! How did you know?
I’d get some nice chisels, the garden tote bag, and the German safety goggles. Then there’s a handful of little things too, forgetmenotes, fingertip magnet, eyeglass thingie…the list goes on.
I love, love, love Lee Valley. Hmm $250 to spend… well lets start with a silicone jar opener, the Drill Guide, squirrel proof Bird Feeder, folding LED Magnifier, Dremel 3000 cuz my Dremel broke ?.
What a decision!! When I lived near their Burlington store, I’d make a list for the hard-to-buy people and anything from Lee Valley went over well! For me, I’d love the Reade Read for my glasses as I’m always looking for them and being nearsighted, I need glasses to find my glasses! A gift certificate for my son and son-in-law would go over well too. As I said, what a decision!
Definitely the Hang Anywhere Clothesline and Touch Wireless Lantern, both of which I have already but would love to give them as gifts.
So many choices! I’ve always wanted a professional chopping knife so I’d go for the gude chefs knife. I also love the look of the tree leather totes. And of course the reading glass holder thingamajig! Thank you! xoxo
I had to try for five minutes to remember what I had as a kid that was the Hypotrochoid in the catalogue! The Spirograph!! Sooo much fun. I want that, and now I need to go pop some popcorn in my Whirley-Pop. I sort of forgot it was up in the cupboard. So many things…I now have a whole cart full of goodies. It is a wish list I may have to use for my own stocking! What fun is this catalogue!
Wow so many things I desire:
To start with the indoor grow light garden, the 8mp time lapse camera and the knife sharpener!
About at least 10 fingerpuppets… and some flashlights.
Bohm Stirling Engine Kit
So, seriously (and I’m sure I’m not the only one but I, haven’t read the comments) there is something I NEED on Every. Single. PAGE!! However, the one thing that made me *gasp* and sit up and come out of my happily dozing and flipping through my new favourite wish book (did you see the Sears one this year?!? Ugh!!) was the Tape Clamp. The only thing that would make this better if it also had a place to hold the scissors!! Brilliant idea!
Good luck everyone. I hope I win though! ?
The knife sharpener! Oh, my, I love that one. I could even let my husband use it, too, so I could feel all virtuous and unselfish. That little drill guide, the magnifying bench lamp and those sliver gripper tweezers would be so nice for my sweetie, too. The littlest pen light flashlight is the coolest and my grandson could use it in place of the laser-pointer I won’t let him have because he’d blind the dog, all the adults in the family and then himself with the laser. He likes to play professor and give all kinds of seminars to me and his grandfather about things he’s seen on Nova and other fascinating subjects.
I’m not going to try to add all that up. If I win the gift certificate I’ll supplement it with my own money and buy them all.
wow, finger puppets, head flashlight, knife sharpener…the list is too much for me to remember…
The convertible wagon! I’d use it for firewood in the winter and the beach in the summer. I never knew such a wagon existed. Lots of cool items in that catalog, thanks for introducing Lee Valley.
I’m going to order a couple of items whether I win or not.
How could anyone choose! You are correct, so many things that I did not know I needed, but now must have! I think that the vegetable keepers are the first item – then something unneeded, but now necessary for fun.
OH the wishing & hoping…
I shopped the London ON store but now live in northern New Brunswick & no longer have that luxury of browsing the store.
The folding trays & watch cases would be one of the many ‘things’ on my wish list for Christmas.
The excitement of Christmas & being together with family again, tis’ the season!
Thank you Lee Valley!
Mechanical toys, wooden toy kits, badger balm, forget me notes….so many choices.
Toe socks for my mom
Reflective vest for early morning & evening walks with the dog
Retractable hose reel – just cause 🙂
Oooooo! I would need to pick up the Wireless Weather Station for my Mom. She’ll check a weather app before looking outside to tell you if it’s raining, and it’s become a running joke in the family. I’d also like to pick up the QuickStand, so I can look even *more* glamorous during my FaceTime and Skype calls (bye bye awkward angle double chin!), annnnnd the Grow Light Indoor Garden, so I have something to ramble on about during the above mentioned glamorous calls. I feel empty without a garden to babble about to any party foolishly willing to listen.
Uh oh. This is going to cost way more than $250, but shopping at Lee Valley never disappoints. The products are well priced and high quality. Here we go: Canning jar caps, Go Tools squeezable travel tubes, German safety goggles, stainless steel compost pail, Lanterne 3 stage wireless lamp, window mount thermometer, BugLit, sock puppet kit, knife sharpener, eyelet punch, Reade Rest, Growligqt indoor garden – not necessarily used in that order 😉
I love the bistro knives; the peasant chefs knife, the measuring glass, the sock puppet kits, the canning jar caps and probably all the rest of the kitchen gadgets.
Stocking Stuffers Galore!!! Way to many to list here, and of course a little something for myself 🙂
The camera lucida! And all the mini models for the guys. What fun!
Hi Karen,
I am in France (my home country) to be near my mum during her last days. It’s very sad, but my spirits always lift when I read your latest posts. Anything pertaining to Lee Valley also lifts my spirits. If I get the urge, I sometimes go to Ottawa, just to hang out in the “mother ship” store and interact with the nicest, kindest sales people. In fact prompted by your Christmas Pledge, I just ordered some stocking stuffers for my grand-kids (little egg LED lights, very cute). Hoping my husband will open up to the delivery guy when my package arrives in Montreal.
So if I win this GREAT giveaway, what I want for Christmas (apart from the hope that my brave mum goes softly into that good night) is a veggie spirelizer which I have coveted for so long. Thanks for your wonderful ideas, humour and terrific writting, BTW, wrote to you about hay bale gardening, since I’m here a little unexpectedly I have started the process: getting the hay, piling it near my little plot at the end of our garden and making sure it will start the breaking down process for next Summer. Will work on it for real next Spring and duly report to you…
The grow light, obviously.. to start the seeds for my veggie garden in the spring!! And then I’d likely buy my son one of those adorable wooden cars… and who can pass up on those tiny little watchmakers tins… they are just so cute, and perfect for little DIY things…
so many amazing things. love the tree leather totes I think I would buy 2 and start filling them with lots of little goodies……happy shopping
Lee Valley is a great place to shop. I am lucky enough to be close to the Almonte ON store as well. If I had that card I would buy 2 Blunt umbrellas, a Stand Up Folding Magnifier, telescopic walking stick and invest the rest in clothes pins!
I could list most of the items in the catalogue but the set of chisels (Veritas mortise) would be a great gift (for me!) Thanks for the contest.!
Camera Lucida
It’s Pretty friggin awesome.
How kind of you! I would love to get my dad the personalized name plate that burns into wood for all his creations he makes. With the left over amount I would get my mom some kitchen gadgets. Happy Holidays!
Some of the kitchen gadgets look so fun – I’ve been looking at spiralizers for a while, but theirs looks great. And some of their tools would make great gifts for the DIYers in my life!
I only knew about Lee Valley for gardening things. Wow! This opens up a whole new world of awesomeness. The headlamp is a good place to start for when I check on the chickens at night. And great stocking stuffers for my granddaughter!
I already bought a set of the Easy-to-build Toy Kits from Lee Valley for my son’s Christmas gift. They have such amazing gifts for kids! With the gift card I would have no problem buying more – starting with the super cute Safari Finger Puppet set! And of course, there are too many things to list that I want for myself!
Ooooh! That is one dangerous cataog. I love the convertible wagon and the Stirling engine model. I want one of everything.
Do they ship US?
I would get the crokinle board! It is such a Canadian game!
Geez, I just spent over an hour going through the entire catalog! I’d order the ratcheting screwdrivers, the eyelet driver and eyelets, the loop weeder, the ripper kit, the magnet sampler and about a dozen other things.
I never heard of Lee Valley before I started reading your blog, but they sure have some cool stuff.
I think I’d get the garden grow light and some colored building blocks for my grandson. Such a nice catalog! I see many things I’d love to have.
That catalogue was so funny t pursue through! My mom is constantly looking for her “readers”, would give her the glasses holder that attaches to shirt.
Lee Valley has the best stocking stuffers! With $250, I would purchase the 8-MP Time Laps Camera, the Seeding Square, and the Hanger Knob for Steel Doors. (Because I lost mine!)
If I was the lucky recipient, I’d choose 2 of the squirrel buster bird feeders – one for me, and one for my neighbour. We’d sit at our windows and watch those squirrels try to eat the bird food and laugh and laugh!
i would buy the non-marring building block set for each of my three grandsons. love Lee Valley
Definitely the makedo set for my nephew and lots of stocking stuffers!
Love Lee Valley. A compost bucket and bird feeder would be great. Also love those wooden toys for kids.
The squirrel proof feeder for sure. Also the Candle Powered LED Lantern.
There is sooooo much to choose but I would love to fill my backyard with bird feeders…..then buy a lot of garden stuff too 🙂
Wow , everything ..but the top of the list would be a new set of felco pruners. And an apple peeler..I have always wanted one of those. And some of those cool toys for the little ones. And big ones.
Geez. There is something I want on every page, but I would start with the anti-fatigue wellness mats for my painting studio.
Thanks for the offer!!
This is exciting! Lee Valley is my go-to for stocking stuffers for my mom and often, my kids. I have been coveting a wireless weather forecasting station for years so that would be on my list for sure. That and the candle-powered LED lantern.
The blocks and maybe some wooden toy kits. For my kid, of course, but actually really for me to play with while she looks annoyed at me for playing with her toys. 🙂 I also really like the drinking glasses.
I would have to use the certificate to get wood working tools as a present for my father. A few years ago, I gave him one of Lee Valley’s Clock Kits as a ‘present/project’ when he retired. Imagine my delight when the following Christmas, he gave me the clock he made – crafted from a piece of Douglas Fir that had been stored in the attic of my Grandmother’s house for over 90 years!!! Lee Valley makes great gifts – and great memories!
I would love to get the VegTrug and the fancy orange canning mat so that my jars can stop toppling over in the stupid jar holder my canning pot came with. This mat looks like a life saver!
Such a neat catalogue! I would definitely have to get the popcorn popper, super magnets, and self watering seed start set up!!
Indoor garden, cookie press and digital thermometer. Except that’s over $250, so I guess I’ll be spending money too…
I want to star by saying “thank you” for introducing Lee Valley on your blog. I have purchased a wheelbarrow for of garden gadgets & last year did all my gift shopping for the hubs at Lee Valley. Such a wonderful company and great quality.
As for what I would spend $250 on:
As many of the knitted finger puppets as I could get! They are too dang awesome and cute. I need them ALL in my life!
As always, thank you for the chance at such an awesome prize!
You’re welcome Beckie on both counts! ~ karen
I like the VegTrug planter! with covers
I have a few things for myself (indispensable things) from Lee Valley and it’s true, I can always find something I need or someone else needs there. But this year, my family moved to Ontario-Lake Of The Woods area-and the wildlife rules the land here. We had a big bear in our yard this fall, among other things, and my husband said he’d really like a big honkin’ flashlight. No yard lights here ($$$$$)! I agree, he does. So I’d like to buy him a good one. Just one. The Suprabeam. Because I’m Supra-generous. That, and I don’t care to see what’s lurking in the pitch blackness of night.
What a neat catalogue.
I’m sorry can’t pick just one. My top favorites would be:
Knife sharpener
Metl model kits
Drill Guide
Vegatable spiralizer and I would throw in the ear bd storage.
Thanks for the nod to this interesting company.
I can’t believe how many of the items in that catalogue I already own! I’d like the candle powered LED lantern, the pro seam ripper, automatic needle threader, kitchen brushes, canning jar caps, garden tote bag, and I am sure I could find more. 🙂
So many fun and useful things! I would definitely get the Squirrel Buster Bird feeder, a hurricane lantern, and the rest of the money would go towards a grow light indoor garden so I can have beautiful herbs year round – yay pesto!
What a great catalog! I definitely would choose the hole punch eyelet driver that can punch thru 30 sheets of paper! I just need it to punch new holes in my stirrups, but wow, 30 sheets of paper!!!!! Oh and the egg light! That is so cool!!
PS- I’m ordering my own catalog just in case I don’t win.
Pocket duct tape for everybody! Any maybe the pizza peel and rocker for the ones who have been very, very good.
My nephew is starting driver’s ed this summer in Minnesota. Like Canadians everywhere, he’ll have to learn to navigate the snowy backroads of his state come next winter. I’d feel a lot better about the whole situation if he had the LED headlamp and folding shovel in his trunk. The reusable hand warmers and multitool probably wouldn’t be a bad call either!
For myself, I wouldn’t mind the pastry kit! My old pastry mat is giving out and the addition of the height guides seems downright luxurious/practical.
Although I would like many things for myself, especially garden related items, I would probably use it for stocking stuffers for my husband or maybe the LED lantern I had considered getting him last Christmas. Thanks for the opportunity!
So much to choose from – I’ve narrowed down the list to these two:
Quick-release wonder dogs
Low angle jack plane
The Pocket microscope looks like a great stocking stuffer. The Laterna and lifetime clothespins I want to add to my list; but The LED infrared motion lights would only confirm the existence of ghosts in my basement, so that’s a big no, as some things are better left alone.
If I had the $250 I would purchase the Grow Lights and a new knife or two from Lee Velley Tools. Or maybe a few items for my Dad. He loves that place as much as I do. Amazing quality on their products.
Thanks for your humour and your great info. I would spend my $250 on crokinole $150.00, beer glasses $20.00, stabilicers lite $30.00, produce keepers for the balance or maybe more. What a great selection of quality products at Lee Valley.
I would love the VEG TRUG wall hugger planter. Or maybe two? We have 3 dogs and I cant grow anything close to the ground in our small backyard without one or all of them deciding its a beautiful mound of litter box that mommy made especially for them!!
What an amazing offer-thanks for the chance to win!
My choice would definitely be the auto-retract hose—the fun of dragging a hose from the front to the back of the house and coiling it back up again lost it’s magic after this hot dry summer
The 3D Christmas ornaments sound like just the thing for an entertaining Xmas eve showdown.
The set of his Lipped Brad-Point drills and a tree leather tote . I love that store
Ugh! My computer froze and my comment got lost!
Anyway, there are so many things I want it’s hard to choose! All the gardening stuff, that storm glass looks cool, all the baking stuff, my son would love the robot arm… I could go on.
I think I need more than one $250 gift card!
Gardening tools and dry sacks. Just because. Thanks.
It’s too hard to choose! So many things I like!!!
The knife sharpener and/or the Suprabeam flashlight.
It would have to be the Camera Lucida for my artistic daughters.
My son would be super jazzed about those foam blocks! Or the wooden trucks and such!
Great giveaway! It would love the crokinole board (speaking of memories)- also, the spiralizer, ecofan, charge cable protectors, can opener, brick clips, pie shield and ripple dish towels.
I wouldn’t be able to choose.
Such fun even thinking about the possibilities! After delighting in products I never knew existed before, I’d probably settle on an ecofan, some icers, and then a few dry sacks–all practical and all fantastic gifts!
Thanks for providing such creative thoughts!
Ooh. I’ll get the $20 Kumihimo braider and $230 worth of cording for it!!
So many neat things! I would get the Grow-Light Indoor Garden and the Solitary Pollen Bee Nest, since I am getting into gardening more every year. And I would have to pick up some of the wood working tools for my husband!
I always order from Lee Valley for the adult stockings. As most of the family is adults these days, stockings are often quite practical, but fun. There are lots of little gadgets for everyone at Lee Valley. Some this year will include: rare earth magnets, pica dry mechanical pencil, canning jar caps, kitchen brushes. Somethings are instant favorites. others sit in the junk drawer until it is exactly what you need. I usually have to restrain myself, if I won the $250, we might have to get bigger stockings.
The 3D Globe puzzle for my hubby, the Cord Braiding kit for my neice and the Jacks and Tiddly Winks games for my brother’s family. Oh, and the trunk organizer for ME!
Well that’s one of the best catalogs I’ve ever read! I never enter contests because I never win (really, that’s my reasoning). But that VegTrug Wallhugger thingie would be the perfect gift for my dear sister whose MS has limited her ability to get down in the dirt and do the gardening she loves. So I’m entering the contest and maybe I’ll win!
Damn, I miss my mother and father – they did a lot of their Christmas shopping from Lee Valley and we’d get the most interesting and useful gifts. The Lee Valley catalogue to me today is like the Sears Wish Book used to be when I was a kid. So hard to choose one item! Something I’ve wanted for a long time but it was too extravagant for me to buy myself is the Admiral Fitzroy Storm Glass on page 40. But on the practical side, I’d like the mini chisels or a drill guide. Or just about anything else from that catalogue.
That was fun and I felt like I was a kid again. My mom would give me the Christmas Wish Book and tell me you mark what you want with an Xs and your sister can place Os and your brother can make stars on the items you want. Lol The catalogue would be destroyed in no time.
So here is what I would place Xs on. The cord able gear ties, the Badger Balm, the ReadiRest, the magnet-mounted hooks, the lifetime clothes pins, the axe bracket set, the cookie scoops, the Gardener’s wash basket, the ZesterMate with Rasp, the wire bender and the pair of trick bolts.
PS I have tried really hard to be as good as possible all year long.
Thanks Santa
Oh boy, I love Lee Valley already! We have shopped their catalog for years. Gude Chef’s knife, magnetic cannon, Whirley-Pop, 50 piece magnet sampler, watchmaker cases(wanted these forever), Pro Seam Ripper kit, Sliver Gripper Tweezers, Automatic needle threader, canning jar caps, Ripple towels and micro shears.
I am sorry but the excitement of first reading that Lee Valley is giving away a gift card and then reading that their christmas catalogue is on line to look at is way to much for me to handle in one day! I love that store and my kids tease me about it whenever I get their catalogues in the mail. So, when I saw that their Whirley Pop popcorn was in the Christmas book I knew what I would wish for right away! I have wanted one for years so I can make homemade kettle corn . Now I feel like a Kid on Christmas Eve hoping Santa will bring me a Lee Valley Gift card!
Garden tools and the drill guide! and pretty much anything else…love Lee Valley
OMG, what could I nOT spend this on! Does it have to come from just the Christmas Gift Catalogue? I have purchased so many of these wonderful, fun items already, however… Lets start with: Cedar Board Kalimba, Rare Earth Magnets (I LOVE those), LED Infrared Detection Light(s), All-Season Convertible Wagon, Admiral FitzRoy’s Stormglass, Pocket Wrench, Fingertip Magnet, Tape Clamp, The Gift Wrapper’s Assistant
Other catalogue item that I covet: Mehu-Liisa Steamer/Juicer
Now excuse me while I wipe up my drool.
You can use the gift card for anything Linda, not just things from the gift catalogue. ~ karen!
Travel tubes, dry sacs, a popcorn maker… or pretty much anything else there.
Oh man, sooooo many options.
For fun, I’d get the 3D globe puzzle. We have wanted a globe in our house for a while (seems like a nonsense luxury item that we clearly don’t need)… but haven’t budgeted for a nice one yet
For function, I’d get the Lee Valley Garden Tote Bag. It’s one thing to have all of my garden tools in a pile on the garage floor, it’d be something else entirely having them all in a basket to take with me, which would also save on annually replacing our shears that get lost in the Jumanji-ness of our yard
and for the long Canadian winter they’re predicting, I’d finally get myself one of the Lee Valley hoodies. I seem to treat myself last when I go there, and never remember to include a hoodie on my little clipboard when I’m writing out the various screws, hinges, etc that I need.
After your previous Lee Valley post, I became quite interested in MagVent (a magnetic dryer hose connection) and the earbud holder. Now I also see metal model kits and I’m geeking out! So many cool things in the first few pages of the book. It brings me back to the good old days of the Sears and JCPenney “wish book”. Great giveaway!
Every year I want the entire garden catalogue.
Right now I need some hinges from the hardware catalogue – I need to do a drop down drawer front on a cabinet that I want to use as a TV stand so that I can put my AppleTV and DVD player there.
Oh, and some new handles for my hoosier cupboard that I want to paint.
I can think of more things…
I didn’t total these up, but I like the Ecofan for on top of the woodstove, the stovetop popcorn popper, the Travel Tubes, and the mixing bowls. Although if my husband got a hold of the catalog there might be other things on the list, too!
So many things! But finger puppets, building blocks and gingerbread house kit for my girls, and the grow light to make seed starting and growing herbs easier for my husband and I. And probably so much more 🙂
You and Pink Tool Belt sold me: I really need a “ReadeRest.” Love your blog….
Thanks Robert! ~ karen!
Quik stand
Capsules
Garden tote and grow light
Oh, and that time lapse camera, and the gootubes. And the tape clamp, and the flip lids for jars, and the pastry kit, and the apple peeler, and the canning mat and the spiralizer, and the veg trug for my balcony, and the
Well, you were right about finding things you didn’t know you needed! For starters, I could use that umbrella…mine have all been turned inside out here in Chicago. And, that doorstop…it’s hard to find a good doorstop…
Sheesh what wouldn’t I buy? Every time I turned a page I found something else, Kyougi note pads are so cool, bird feeder, Dremel, 3D puzzle and the list goes on! The biggest problem I see would be making the decision! Fingers crossed! Thank for this chance?
I had those itchy flannel pajamas as well. And I remember circling everything in the JCPenney’s Christmas Toy Catalog. My kids don’t really do much circling these days. Perhaps we’ll sit down with the Toys R Us Catalog and do some toy circling this evening! It’s the perfect prep for the list to Santa! <3 and OMG just like a kid at Christmas I circled everything on every page of the Lee Catalog!!! But here are my faves: Boxed Set of Watchmaker's Cases; Folding Phone Holder; INDOOR GARDEN GROW LIGHT!!!!; Self Watering Seed Starter; Auto Retracting Hose Reel; Folding Hand Truck; Folding Aluminum Table; Gardener's Wash Baskets;
Games & toys and gardening tools … and that drill guide too!
Cardboard armor and DaVinci models….. For my nephews. Not for my husband. Ok, maybe not for my husband. Yeesh. Yup totally for my husband.
I will need more time to blow through the whole 250.00, but to start the Digital Inclinometer for an upcoming reno project, Soft Food Slicer, Ice Lantern Mold and a popcorn popper. A store just opened in my area so I have been doing some shopping but not for me yet.
Well, by the time I got halfway through the catalogue I had a list you’d never believe!!! Stuff in there for any and everybody. Merry Christmas to all and may God bless us every one.
Wow. Where to begin. Love all the gadgets for tying up and organizing cords. And the needle threader. And the old fashioned games (when was the last time you heard of Tiddly Winks!!). And all the tools. And just about anything else. Could easily spend the $250 and more. Thank you Karen and Lee Valley Tools!!
Well this gives me more reason to visit Lee Valley next time I go to Chatham-Kent for work. If I was lucky enough to receive this gift card I would be driving back to Michigan with the following:
Dremel 3800 $69 – twin 15 month old boys are already breaking things, this would speed up my repairs to their wooden toys and wooden gates.
Mandolin $149 – our boys were 3 months early, one has tactical feedback issues we are working on so slicing food then forces him to get better with his motor control. Mandolin would speed this WAY up
Building blocks $89 – occupational therapy just told us we need these for the boys to work on their motor control and hand-eye coordination.
Whoever wins this is very lucky indeed and I am glad Karen is always finding great new things to give away to her readers, on top of her fantastic humour!
I love the wooden toy sets. I don’t have any children, but a nephew that would love it!
I would also snag some of the rare earth magnets for a little project that may have been started, but never finished months ago…
My husband loves the O’Keefe’s Working Hands and it makes a great stocking stuffer!
Packing cubes – I own two, but that’s certainly not enough 🙂
You were right, that was fun!
this is just what I’ve been looking for but didn’t know it….the kangaroo pocket for gardening….genius
The Lee Valley catalogue is so nice, why do I need things I didn’t know existed. The Makedo cardboard building system, the DaVinci models, flash lights for the kids rooms, the compact blunt umbrella, the axe bracket. I have long coveted the star and icicle ornaments so I would add those to my Christmas list,
Crokinole Board and the hole punch! Plus the rest of the catalogue…but those items first!!
Since I have already done my Christmas shopping at Lee Valley, I would choose the window-mount thermometer for me now, and next summer I would like the Mayan Hammock. Fingers crossed!
I LOVE Lee Valley! Where do I start? There’s too much stuff I would love to have but lets start with the apple peeler/corer, as well as the Stormglass, the Scrubba wash bag, the set of mixing bowls and the list goes on! Thanks for the opportunity, Karen.
I’m always attracted to rare earth magnets (wild laughter). I’d probably buy as gifts the knife sharpener you recommended that I ordered. Weird goodies like the silicone popcorn popper and oven guards. Not weird goodies like a Dremel tool which I’ve always wanted. All the Lee Valley catalogues are wonderful dream tools.
Umm.. I need about 5 of every kitchen gadget because you CANNOT have too many.
OMG…my husband and son look at this catalog every night lately instead of a bedtime story!
I would love the pasta machine and tons of the old school Victorian Christmas ornaments, but in reality I would give my two ‘boys’ the reigns if I won and give it to them! They LOVE Lee Valley 🙂
I really need new chefs knives so I would definitely buy them! I found a lot of interesting things to buy 🙂
What a great catalog!!! And from a place I’ve never heard of! Thanks for sharing this!
I’ll be sure to purchase some of the metal model kits, for the boys who has “outgrown” Lego sets, but still likes to build things. I need the Cord Clips (doesn’t everyone?) in my stocking, and I think everyone can use the produce keepers. The egg lights are a great idea, as are the solar Luci lanterns.
So many wonderful ideas (and presented so beautifully). I think I just found a new favorite store!
I’m happy you found Lee Valley. It’s a Canadian institution (that’s also up and running in the U.S.) and we LOVE it. 🙂 ~ karen!
Ohhhhh definitely the VegTruv Wall Hugger on page 66/67 – vegfies in my small yard (!!!!!)and most likely the quartz overhead radiant heater because I hate being cold working on outside projects in my garage!
I really need that Steerable Garden thingy.
I would go for the auto retract hose reel and some of the garden hand tools.
Hand truck, pinch and pour beakers, produce keepers, digital thermometer. And a tour of Karen’s house. Hey it’s a wish list!
Easier said than done, picking out things from the Lee Valley catalog. But that ash-handled gardening fork looks like it would do the work for me, so possibly that. And/or kitchen stuff – that pasta roller WITH electric motor! No, the three lovely nested mixing bowls! Wait, the indoor plant grow light!
This is a great catalog to browse through. I like the infrared detection light, binoculars, and window mount thermometer. The Festool palm sander is also on my list.
Is it weird that I’d like the puzzle roll the most? We always end up doing them on cardboard so we can stick them under the sofa for safe keeping but rolling them up would be better. That pastry kit would be nice too since I like to make pies. Actually, any of the kitchen gadgets would be nice.
Oh man, the French mandolin is gorgeous. Some tree leather tote bags & finger puppets would be the obvious other choices.
Wow! where to start ? I’ve admired the quality of the Lee Valley products for years, so after much consideration and drooling i ‘ve narrowed my choices down to $250. (or thereabouts) First up – the auto retracting Hose reel would be amazing for watering the garden , how smart is that? to be able to stow the hose away neatly instead of constantly tripping over it as i do now, then the LED detection lights for my 2 stairways (have you noticed how early it gets dark now) and last, a couple of the very cool waterclocks for the kids as stocking stuffers. ( I’m already laughing at their puzzled faces)
Dear god, I thought I’d never reach the end of the scrollbar to actually enter. Lee Valley has so many things I want but I realize I really do need the hand chainsaw and there are about a gazillion other things I’d love to have.
Teresa
Karen, you are a very cruel woman! lol
I went through the catalog (at least looking at pictures), which is truly amazing, and want it all! Well, not all, the toe socks freak me out and the suspenders I really have no use for, along with Christmas items.
BUT I so want one or many things from the gardening, lights, kitchen categories, etc. Each category has something(s) I want. How can I choose?
So instead of choosing something I want, I am choosing something I need… the holder for reading glasses. Maybe if I could find my reading glasses I could read the descriptions and figure out what I want. lol
Um, hello…?! Blow it all on the sander mentioned in the last post!
All the gorgeous wooden toys for my toddler! So sweet.
Just to start….. The wooden toys~page 8~for my nephews. The “champagne “beer glasses~page 13. Those I would use for bud vases. Most anything in the baking selection. Oh~and a new headlamp for my husband. He can never have enough of those. To say the least, I would run thru that $250 in a red hot minute. But I can’t wait on you…..off to order my own catalogues from Lee Valley. Thanks for this new source!
I wanted a ton of suff but these items the most:
Star Wars Metal Model Kit
Balsa Glider Kit
Grow-Light Indoor Garden
Mini LED Clip Light
Poach Pod
Ripple Towels
Love, love, LOVE Lee Valley. We have their “in wall” fold up ironing board in our bedroom. Like everything they sell, it’s the best quality and so ingenious! I would use the gift card towards a big splurge, the Gude chef’s knife.
A new chefs knife, the mandolin, bird feeders, anything garden. So much to choose from!
Set of 8 Premium Tools (A-H) AB633 Is my Christmas wish from Lee Valley Tools. I have purchased from them for years and they are absolutely fantastic.
The garden tools are the very best. Quality at a reasonable price.
Magnetic finger tip for brother’s stocking. Metal models for neice. Set of rare earth magnets, measuring glass that converts dry goods weights to volumes, lanterna, microwave popcorn popper for me : )
I zeroed right in on the classic French Mandoline as we had a bumper crop of apples this year and for 3 weeks (pretty much non-stop) I’ve been slicing and dehydrating Apple chips by hand and I’m SO over it. Also, the squirrel resistant bird feeder to stop that one particular black squirrel that drives me crazy every winter.
Because I am a loser and don’t know how to have fun I would buy the hang anywhere clothes line…yes…I would. Every damn time we’re camping my husband ties the most intricate sailor knots to put up our regular clothesline and I have to burn down half of the @#$%*damn forest to get those knots to release.
I promise if I win I will buy something fun to go with it.
After digitally browsing through the entire Lee Valley’s Christmas Gift Catalogue (sans polishing a carton of egg nog but a cuppa milk tea) with the same fervour like a kid leafing through the toys section of the Sears Christmas Wish Book back in the olden days, I noted a few things I wish Santa could leave underneath my tree this year. Like a kid hoping for lots of toys, I, the now grown up gardener enthusiast wish for lots of gardening toys. I would just Love to get the Grow-Light Indoor Garden as I am looking forward to growing my tomato and pepper seeds. And, in the winter, this nifty gadget does double duty to grow microgreens in the winter. I would also Love to see the Solitary Pollen Bee Nest underneath the tree, because I’d like to preserve the bee population and helps with pollination of my garden. The third item is not garden related but safety related, and it is the LED Infrared Detection Light which I would place at the top of my stairs that leads down to the basement, because it lights the path with motion as you walk down the stairs. I’ve been a good gardening girl this year and shared my little harvest of tomatoes and crooked yellow squash with my neighbours and friends. Merry Christmas everyone, and Happy Gardening New Year!
Grow-Light Indoor Garden
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,44716&p=68785
Solitary Pollen Bee Nest
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=70416
LED Infrared Detection Light
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,42194,74631,74513,74514&p=67628
Veg-Trug Wall Hugger! I’d love that.
Felco pruner and Blunt Umbrella, please!
What a great catalog – I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before so thanks for sharing.
Here’s what I would get:
For me – the Grow light indoor garden
For the hubbie – the Credit card multi tool
For the grand kids – the Metal model kits and the Kaleidoscope kits because they love to see a pile of raw materials and actually end up with a really cool usable toy.
Thanks!
I could have told everyone that people named Lee are just generally awesome. Not all of us have gift catalogs, however, so count me in! I want: Forget-me-notes (for that memory-thing you mentioned), a Fingertip magnet, an Earbuds case, a set of Watchmaker’s cases, a Magnet sampler, Utility capsules, a Suprabeam flashlight, a Mini LED clip flashlight, and a Med. Ecofan. That’s too much, so I’ll just have to pay $10. Big deal. I can vouch for the usefulness of ice spike things for your shoes. Having had neck surgery, my doctor repeatedly reminds me not to fall down. The magnetic glasses holder reminds me of some things I bought on eBay: magnetic name badge holders. I bought enough for everyone at work, so we wouldn’t have to pin them on our shirts every day. Awesome. So is this catalog.
Wow, is this an amazing magazine! I love the miniature tools and about ten other things right now. Thanks so much.
OMG do you check out that $450+ knife on page 4….I want it, will have to wear stell gloves but to quote George Takei ….’oh my’!
Lee Valley makes my heart sing!
One thing I’d want is a replacement tray for the seedling growing station I bought years ago. They still carry the same one, but somehow my ex got one of the trays in the divorce 😛
Otherwise, it’s all pocket-knives and wool socks!
WOW so many things to choose from!! I would definitely start with the Ecofan for the top of the wood stove! Love the idea of not having to use electricity! So many christmas ideas!!! My son would love the knife sharpener!! Love this catalogue! I am going back to request one for myself!! Thank you:)
Really there are so many ingenious devices that it is hard to choose but right off the bat I like the time lapse camera. There are a lot of great toys for my nieces and nephew. A really fun catalog.
Duh, the badger balm!
All-Season Convertible wagon, how awesome is that?!
Oh my, I need the Makeda Cardboard Building System so my 14 yo son will quit raiding my tape stash. I’m always behind on gift wrapping because I never have tape! See exhibit A, the cello tape canoe.
The wagon, of course! For my kids? Urrr sure, sure, if you’ll believe it!
Loop Weeder, Hori Hori Knife, Felco #8 Pruner and the Poptop popcorn popper for when I’m done in the garden!
There is literally something on every page I want! But the Camera Lucida would be really fun! And those mechanized toys for the grandson. And….
1) Time Lapse camera for my new chicken coop (because I want to see if the ingrates use the swing I made for them when I am not looking) 2) Weather station (always wanted one), and 3) Little log cabin ornament kit (to occupy my mind so I can forget election results for 10 glorious minutes without copious amounts of alcohol).
I am really into the Firewood Storage Rack. That will keep my pile from sliding down the side!
Hello Karen! This is a great give away since Lee Valley is the best place for gardeners and carpentry supplies…I already have the kneeling pad, bucket with tool apron, seed planter and the rolling weeding seat…but there is so much more I would love to use….. Are you ready? Long list!!!! the bee’s house beside my bee and butterfly garden, the Hori knife for all my transplants and oh so many weeds! Altho that weeding hoop might be useful too! This is excited just thinking of getting this stuff with your gift certificate!!…….. I hope I am not sounding too needy Santa Karen but….. I am planning on making your pizza oven next year in my backyard patio/deck redo, and love the pizza board and cutting blade!!!!! I have to end my list, as I must get out of these jammies!!!!!
Thanks for enduring my fantasy list!
Blog on!
Definitely 2 packages of the lifetime clothespins from Italy, the self watering seed starter, the Blunt umbrella ($99!), and the beautiful ergonomic spade and fork. I’ve gone over $250!
Oh my….so many great gift ideas to choose from. I like the popcorn popper, the Egg Light, the wood stove fan and on and on. Good luck to everyone!
So many clever gift ideas! I came up its a long list, headed by a crokinole board, several magnetic cannons (I have four boys), the DaVinci catapult, and for me…seam rippers and a tablet prop.
PS…I think I had the same flannel gown.
Let’s see, a birdfeeder, nightshirts for my dad & husband, double sided spatulas & a muffin pan for me, a case of forget-me-notes. . . such great stuff! For me it was hours spent poring over the Sears Wish Book- thanks for the reminder!
the jar opener with the handles for my Mom (surgery on one hand this year, the other hand next year), the bicycle wrenches for my son (cycles EVERYwhere!), the pastry mat and edges for me (pastry is either too thin. or too thick!), the chopping knife for my daughter’s boyfriend … hmmm … maybe that should be for me too, to replace the knife he put a kink in when he chopped the lamb leg! which reminds me … the hand held knife sharpener! there … a condensed list.
A couple items for my carpenter/architect daughter: small double square, brass calliper and for me: tree leather tote bags,canning jar flip caps,felco pruner and a compost pail. Great giveaway, thanks!
AAUUUGH!!! Cannot decide.Get me the whole catalog! Or anything sharp. Or stabby. Or shiny. Or flannel.
So now I am incredibly jealous that we don’t have Lee Valley here in Texas. I’d spend the gift card on toys from the catalog for my boys. I think. Unless all the fun gadgets for me tempted me more. . .
Fyi, Allison, LVT has an on-line shopping site for Americans and if by any chance you don’t like/want your purchase, you can return it for a full refund, including shipping costs . . . both ways!
I would get the crokinole board and the pantanque set. We are all about games and silliness in our family.
I love LEE VALLEY. My shopping list includes: adjustable pie shield; Irish grandfather nightshirt; hook anywhere clothesline; Luci inflatable solar charged lantern, frosted; candle powered LED lantern; water clock; pocket kite; and, magnetic bookmarks.
Thanks for the inspiration!
K
YES! My favourite partnership!!!
The pastry kit, for starters. Some woodworking tools for sure. The kangaroo pocket apron. EEEE!! I am so glad you posted a link to the catalogue, it’s time for me to start shopping!
For sure for sure the Apron Tote for firewood. I need it.
Rare Earth Magnets, Toe Socks, Touch Control Christmas Lights Tree Ornament, Measuring Glass, the two Gardener’s Wash Baskets, the large Tree Leather Tote, Wooden Petanque Set, Dietz No. 80 Hurricane Lantern, aaaand 3 of the Pocket Duct Tape 🙂 🙂 🙂
I already spent more than $250 and I only got to page 27. I would like the squirrel proof bird feeder on 23, the folding kneeler on pg 26 and all of the garden tools!
Rotary tool for me and airplane models for the kids…er, husband and kids. So, the kids!
My first Wish List from the Catalogue totalled over $400!! But to narrow it down to Most Essential Wish List: Mayan Hammock! Industrial Magnetic Sweep! Stake Point Sharpener! Magnetic Doorstop! LED Infrared Detection Light!
how did I not see any of those things?! Ok..going back with your eyeballs.
Surely, we weren’t expected to limit ourselves to the Christmas catalogue, were we??!!!!! After a thorough inspection of the Christmas catalogue, I jumped over to the Lee Valley COMPLETE WEBSITE: Thousands of more delightful items! Hours and hours of browsing enjoyment! Lee Valley ain’t just for Christmas, folks!
What a cool catalog. I used to play a game when I was a kid (and sometimes now) where I had to pick one item on each page of a catalog. Just one. It got tough when there was absolutely nothing I really wanted on that page.
Utensil crock, Dremel, outdoor weather station, and those ‘tree leather’ shopping bags are pretty sweet as well!
Oh my- I’ve been shopping at Lee Valley for almost 40 years, and my house & garden are full of wonderful things from there. I cannot recommend their products too highly. The Christmas catalogue is much anticipated & fought over.
I have composed my 2 page Christmas list with no regard to money. I’ll list them all & let Santa deal with the extras: I’d love the Laguiole pocket knife (it has always been too expensive for Santa), lots of magnet hooks, & many more super fridge magnets (I get 3 every year, but there are never enough), definitely the silicon canning mat and silicon tipped tongs, 21 led flashlight, magnetic led tool light, lever action can opener, all the produce keepers, low profile mortar & pestle, wireless weather center (oh please!), the window dish feeder & canopy. If I don’t get the gift certificate, this list will be substantially pared, but I will still get some of the wonderful things.
The lifetime cloth pins, the compost bucket, the dry sacks, the canning mat…..
Will think everyone will get the balsa wood flyer, my husband might get the Veritas chisels ( already has some and loves them), and the rest might go to all the great kitchen gadgets. Because who doesn’t love swearing at the kitchen drawer when you can’t find the gadget you want because there’s too much in there and vowing to organize it…..very soon.
Knife sharpener and Dremel tool would be at the top of my list. Oh wait, were we suppose to look for gifts for other people?
So many great things! Squirrel proof feeder, chisels, pasta machine . . .
So many gift ideas! Narrowed it down to button fastener, extendable shoe horn, ripple towels, Felco pruners and a weather station.
Cool stuff! A few things to eeny meeny miny mo. My Granddaughter loves nature and bugs so the Pocket Microscope is great for her. I like the Squirrel Buster feeders since the squirrels pretty much rule the roosts here. Love the Popcorn Popper. My Grandma had one like that. (Good Times) . Merry Christmas ?
quartz overhead radiant heater
micro shears
stainless steel andirons
the rest on rare earth magnets and maybe the table knives
Oooo, I LOVE the VegTrug wall hugger!
I LOVE Lee Valley. I am still wearing gardening clogs that I bought there 20 years ago. I would like the knife sharpener 15 degree angle. The fold up gardening apron. The squeezable silicone measuring cups and the silicone muffin tins (small). I would like just about anything in the catalogue really. I don’t even mind duplicates I would gift those.
I remember about a bazillion years ago when there was only one LVT store in Ontario (other than the Ottawa one) and my husband would go through the woodworking tool catalogue, circling items in red that he wanted for Christmas and his January birthday, just like a little kid. I would work out how much we could afford then make the trip north of Toronto, throw a pile of money at them, and return with a paper bag full o’ goodies. On Christmas morn, he would act all surprised at my brilliant gifts. Ahhh, good times!
I’d like to pretend I would get things for other people, but really, it would all be for me!
Pinch and pour measuring cups, dough mat and thickness guides, oven gloves, veg trug wall hugger, low profile dust respirator, anti fatigue wellness mats.
I think I am already over the amount! So many awesome things!
I rarely need more stuff, but I can think of a few things. What I’d love to use a gift card on is one of their classes. Woodturning, or maybe carving.
This is the one and only Christmas catalogue. . . Ever. It is always difficult to decide what one wants from Lee Valley at any time but I know exactly what I want this year and I am close to getting it. I have squirrled two gifts cards ( birthday presents) and one more would allow me to get the wonderful Güde Chef’s knife.
German safety goggles, sharp-draw pencil, compost bin, and maybe the puppet kit.
You know what’s weird, I’m psychic too, and I know I’m going to win this thing! Well I’m at least into heavy wishful thinking! My list: Badger Balm, 4 bistros knives, indoor garden, apple corer, Cooper cookie press, and pizza peel. Lots of cool stuff there for sure.
What a great giveaway. Thank you!!
I am going back and forth and back and forth from this blog to the catalogue.
So many cool items….
The Hori Hori knife
The Bee nest
The umbrella
Now must go buy some eggnog to chug….
I’ll take a set of the Mason Cash mixing bowls, the produce keepers and the garden tote bag, please, Santa!
In my stocking you can put the Jar Opener, the apple corer and the iphone charger shelf.
Lee Valley does a great job curating unique and practical items; wish we had this retailer in the US.
Sigh… so, so many great items that I want. Think my head is going to explode!
Stocking stuffers for my kids and grandkids (gotta let them choose), for me in the garden, great tools, kitchen wares, toys…etc. All will be thrilled!!!
What a great catalog! So here is my wish list from the Lee Valley Christmas catalog:
the egg light
the mandalin slicer
the popcorn popper
the rare earth magents
That’s it, that’s all, that’s more than enough. Thank you and now I have to cross my fingers until November 19th when the winner will be announced.
So many things to choose from, I love a lot of things in this catalogue. My sister needs one of those ReadeRest gizmos and of course I need the Bee nest and the Silicone canning mat. Lots of fun stuff in there..
Oh my, that was fun! I was going through the online catalogue, cautiously adding items but I was only up to about $135… I believed you really wanted to know how I’d spend the whole $250! So, I kept going. Now my cart is up $333.50 and I’m not sure what I’d take away… maybe nothing.
So, there are too many items to mention but here’s a few: hiking stick, key rings, socks, moisture meter, saw and scoop, ripple towels, salt & pepper mills, kyougi notepad and memopad, log cabin ornament kits, silver egg light, lanterna lamp, gardening calendar, LED Detection light, LED tool light, LED micro bug light, gardening magnetic bookmarks and the stand-up pencil case. Actually, that’s the whole list – some are multiples. I could give you the reasons for each and every one, and why and who I was thinking of… but I’d have to start my own blog and that’s just not going to happen any time soon.
thanks for the chance to win.. I’m saving this Cart just in case.
Joanne
Water clock, Star Wars model kits, Swedish firesteel, weather forecast clock, Danish dough wisks, egg poachers, and a popcorn popper!
Not sure what the currency exchange is with us dollars, but I think my list is longer than the $250.
Knife Sharpeners, Kalimba, Jar Opener, Tools for the Garden, Bevel Edge Chisels, Mini Muffin Pan, Grill Thermometer…but I bet I could find more!!!
Adhesive Rare-Earth Magnets! (I have a gate project I need to get around to…)
Is this catalog a Canadian secret? SO MUCH GOOD STUFF!
From the Holiday catalog I found these gems: From the regular catalog these picks:
Forget-me-Notes Poach pods (Ingenious!)
TOE SOX Star dial
Folding Tray TOE SOX (LOVE THESE)
Pocket Microsope Microtip tweezers
Kolsch Beer Glasses Measuring glass
Magnetic Bookmarks Ozco Gate Accents (scroll in particular)
Lee Valley Garden Tote Bag Complete Guide to Patios & Walkways
Garden Tools (I’d use the whole prize for those!)
Egg lights
Pinch and pour
Measuring glass
What a lovely trip!
I hope I win…. 🙂
Ok, Santa Karen…for Christmas this year I want the tin Christmas ornaments, a wood burning system, the sharp draw pencil, German safety goggles, an Ecofan, the Grow-Light indoor garden, a Whirley-Pop, the Kumihimo cord braiding system, and the Camera Lucida! Whew! Um, I may have gone over the $250 by just a teensy little bit. Love you, Lee Valley!
I need the folding aluminum table! My oldest son races motocross and this would be perfect for setting our lunches up at the track when we travel!
Ooooh I see all kinds of stuff I could spend $250 on with ease. In no particular order…
Fridge Super Magnets
Magnet mounted hooks
Tic Button Fastener
Screw and nut grabber
Tape Clamp
Chop safe finger guard
Bear claw meat shredder
The nutcracker
Very nice of them to do the give away (and of course you too)!
Veritas® Rip Tenon Saw 05T14.01 would be sweet!
the folding kneeler stool for practical, and about eleventy trillion other things for FUN!
I think the better question would be “what would I not spend $250 on?”
I wish I could have one of almost everything in the catalog
EVERY time I go into Lee Valley I come out with something completely awesome that I never knew I needed, but find I simply cannot live without. Lee Valley is my Kryptonite! LOL! I need rare earth magnets! I need the Lanterna touch wireless lamp! Omigosh, I definitely need the Lifetime clothespins! Uh oh, and the all-season convertible wagon … Yes, I need that for sure. And toe socks. I haven’t worn toe socks since 1976, so for sure I need those!!
Definitely the Veg Trug for containing some of my veggies and herbs
Whenever I get a Lee Valley catalog, I pretend that I could spend an unlimited amount and pick one item from every page. Sometimes it’s tough to pick just one. I could easily spend $250 on hand tools, such as Veritas chisels and dovetail saws.
We LOVE Lee Valley! For $250, I would buy the time lapse camera, the drill guide and the handwoven basket tote. Thanks for this opportunity to play along!
Super magnets, grow light, whirley pop to make kettle corn and many many more. I did get that little knife sharpener you showed us last year. At first the shipping was ridiculous, but when I got on the US site the shipping was very reasonable…got 3 of their catalogs also and waiting for the Christmas catalog. Thanks Karen
Oh so many things. Wish they had stores in the U.S.
Have always wanted a good Camera Lucida, oh and the pro seam rippers and, and,and!
Happy buying all you Canadians!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful. Years ago due to finances our family quit giving Christmas presents. Unfortunately that means since I live alone I don’t get anything for Christmas. This would be wonderful. I certainly wanted Dremel. Also some dry sac. And I think if I went there they would be able to help me figure out some of my woodworking. Right now I’m having a heck of a Time cutting popsicle sticks. Especially when I have to do the angles. As I said this would be wonderful.
Veritas PM-V11’s of course
An eco fan, a set of finger puppets and a garden kneeler please. Thank you for the give away
Wow, so many neat things! I would get some new kitchen equipmemt. I’ve been buying alot of produce lately, so I’d love to try the produce keepers. There’s nothing worse then having to throw away food!
Low angle jack plane!
I love Lee Valley, I make a pilgrimage there every few months just to see whats new.
I would love the reade rest for my husband, the knife sharpner cause we all have dull knives, and the puzzle roll so we can remove the half down puzzle at dinner time…
I love all the gardening stuff, including the grow-light indoor garden & adjustable flow watering spikes… but those star wars and star trek metal models at the front caught my eye, too.
Oh, so many choices! What I need most is an Anti Fatigue Mat for when I’m working in the kitchen. And, I think I’d also get a Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder.
As the general though goes, $250 might not be enough! So easy to add stuff to wish list once you get started!
Most importantly, the deluxe crokinole board! Kölshe beer glasses, box grater, silicone canning mat, tin tinsel (that’s where the money runs out..) A Scrubba bag would be cool too! As well as some Star Wars metal models!
Happy holidays to all!
Plane, chisels, too much for a wish list to handle.
That fancy tree stand would make Christmas so much easier, but I would put that Veg Trug on my porch SO HARD. I might actually be able to keep herbs alive for more than a week!
A squirrel proof bird feeder for my Step-Dad (because it is always entertaining to watch the squirrels try) and the Steerable Rolling Seat for my Mom.
The Peasant Chef Knife would be first on my list, followed by the Scrubba Wash Bag and set of Lifetime Clothespins. What can I say – I’m a practical gal! 🙂
The veg trug for me too! There are so many wonderful things at Lee Valley!
I’ve never gone to that site before. The Tee socks, Badger Balm, all the garden tools – very interesting “stuff”.
Every time I go down south I hit the Lee Valley!
My wish list: The squirrel resistant bird feeder , the garden journal, the Irish grandfather night cap (just the night cap! I have the perfect person to give this too!) veritas mini planer, drill guide, and it’s not in the catalogue but another one of their awesome Haws watering cans (bought one this year and it made watering the seedlings a breeze! I wished I had another so I could balance out the walk from the rain barrels to the garden.
Stand up folding LED Magnifier and heavy duty clippers for mom because she’s losing her sight and her toenails are as hard ad rocks. Irish Grandfather’s nighshirt and cap for my husband because I could use the pictures to blackmail him, and for me the Ice lantern mold (because my ones I tried making last year sucked) and Anti-fatigue wellness mat because they make me cook for them.
Oooh! Let’s start with the Magnetic Spot Scrubber to help clean great old bottles we find . . . Definitely the Toy Crane for construction-vehicle-obsessed grandson . . . The Scrubber Wash Bag for my daughter’s family who loves camping . . . The nifty Wire Bender for the numerous projects hubby does with old wire . . . The Fingertip Magnet, for same handy hubby . . . And the Angle Teansfer Tool for same . . . Some Tree Leather Tote Bags for busy other daughter . . . ReadeRests for several people on my list . . . And Oven Guards for clumsy me, who sports too many forearm burns already, even though I use the oven maybe three times a year . . . And a new pair of Felco Shears . . . You did say it was a $2500 gift card didn’t you!? ?
I love the wooden Petanque set!
I think I’d have to go for the Chefs Choice Dual Knife Sharpener AND the Cree LED Headlamp–I use them for bbqing at night bc my outside lighting is substandard. Love the Christmas Challenge! I’m on it!
I’d select the puzzle roll for my wife and wooden blocks for the grandkids. For me: the small double square.
woodworking is my stressed out husband’s happy place. I would gladly buy him the Veritas Low Angle Jack Plane he’s been eyeing for quite a while now.
So many choices – as my dads favorite store I could spend it all on his Xmas gift or for me: icers anti-slip, folding hand trunk and kettle corn popper.
Hey Santa I took this really seriously, and wrote the code numbers so it would be easier for you to fill
my list.
Never heard of this company before (California girl that I am) but am wondering where have you been all my life. Here’s what would make my Christmas merry & bright!
09A01.20 Pro Seam Ripper
AB630 Hand Rake
09A01.17 Brass Calipers
45K14.30 Camera Lucinda
EV525 Apple Corer
EV251 ice cream scoop
And I really DID TRY to be a good girl all year…..Karen
Lee Valley Tools is my go to store. My wife would truly enjoy the squrrel proof bird feeder. Merry Christmas
Star Wars metal models are cool… would also like some of the Veritas tools and kitchen items. So many items to choose from!
The All Season convertible wagon 45K 22.12 so I could walk to the grocery store, summer and winter and not have to worry about how heavy it will be.
Bohm Stirling engine kit
Ooooh, tough choices! I’d have to choose between the VegTrug Wall hugger and the pasta machine.
A magnet canon?! How friggin cool. I suppose I could share it with my son. And a wagon with optional skis? This is beyond awesome.
The metal models. . Love that Batmobile!
I love just about everything in the Lee Valley catalogue! I would choose a set of the Forget-Me-Notes notebooks, the MakeDo cardboard building system kits, pocket microscopes for everybody on my list, the Whirly-Pop popcorn maker, the super magnets for the fridge, the Blunt umbrella, several Egg lights, and on and on and on. I can find something on every page that would make a great gift for someone (or for me).
I would love any of the bird feeders and absolutely need a new meat thermometer. I also made a list for my family and can’t wait to order!! (LED lights, clothesline, Phone holder, dremel kit, art kit…lots of great ideas!
I’d get the High Visibility LED Vests for all the runners in my family, the Icers for my husband’s boots, and the Produce Keepers for myself, just to start.
The candle-powered LED lantern! <3 We live in Iraq and this would be such a homey way of lighting up the house during electrical outages. Might have to bring my man's attention to this item… 😉
I think I went over but that’s ok?? Right? Forget me notes, Blocks and Marbles, Reade Rest, Hook anywhere clothesline, and Oh Yeah! the Laguiole Knife and case. Can’t wait!
Awesome collection of “never-knew-i-needed-this-til-now”s…..starting with the reading glasses holder, reflector strips for evening walks, lifetime clothespins, battery tester, pocket kite and Star Wars metal models for the nephews!…That should more than use up the gift card if I were to be so lucky! Thanks for your awesome blog – keeps me chuckling all week – in between gnashing of teeth with the rest of the world’s utter insanity…
Magnetic spot scrubber, Reade Rest x 3, Steerable Rolling Seat, Measuring Glass, Silicone Canning Mat, Large Gardeners Wash Basket, Poptop Popcorn Popper, Folding Phone Holder x 3 . An geez that is not even going in the friging door … Geez Karen you are nasty to show that catalog ?. More than likely I could drop double that in Lee Vally with out even trying hard , as I love that store .
What a great catalog. They have such wonderful things! Too many to choose from but I know I would love the bird feeders, bee house, barn and cabin ornament kits, wire vegetable baskets and on and on! And yes, any of the toys for GD. What fun!
OMG, Karen, I love Lee Valley. A couple of years ago, I bought the touch lights for my family, and they have been so handy when we have storms come through, here on the west coast and the power goes out. Now that there is a grandson I would love to get some of the wooden toys for him. His mum would get the full pastry baking set, as would I. My husband needs lots and lots of their precise woodworking tools and my other son would enjoy the metal models. If there was any of the gift card left I’d just use it up on the fantastic stocking stuffers and fun ‘doodads’ they offer.
As always, I heart your blog posts and it’s fantastic that you and Lee Valley are giving your readers this opportunity. Thank you!
I love all the kitchen gadgets……the can openers, baking pans, flashlights, what a great catalog. Also the gardening tools.
I love Lee Valley and have purchased from them before. We I
to win, I would start with the digging fork.
Thanks, Karen
So many things on my list, bistro knives, knife sharpener, jar opener, pastry blender, and so much more.
This would be such a hard decision! Mostly likely I’d lean to getting anything for the kitchen like the pastry blender or the silicone canning mat. But the pétanque set, window mounted dish feeder and the grow-light indoor garden have also caught my eye.
the Grow Light Indoor Garden and the Eco Fan Gs please!!
oooh. I’d stock up and tools for the youth farm program I’m starting to put together at my local greenspace, Downtown Greens!
The set of joinery saw is what I’d get
I’d start with a squirrel proof feeder, and after that who knows? There definitely wouldn’t be any money left on the card when I got finished!
I’d put the $250 towards 2 grow-lights–one for me and one as a gift for my father-in-law!
So many neat things to choose from! I would probably send the catalog and the gift card to my parents-in-law. I think they would go for the gardening stuff, but sometimes they surprise me. If i was shopping for myself I would go for the pasta maker with the motor =)
Thanks for this, Karen! A Blunt umbrella, several earbud storage cases, and folding phone holders would do me and my Christmas shopping just fine…
What a cool catalog! I want it all. I will buy stocking stuffers, the LED candle Lantern, reading glass hooks and more!
If I were lucky enough to win, I would want the wooden veg trug and the star ice light forms I have been ogling for years. Or maybe the time lapse camera for my neighbour, the birder who can no longer walk in the woods. So many lovely choices! Thanks for being so generous, Lee Valley!
OK Santa Karen! I guess I can’t win if I don’t play eh? Only 1 item wished for and that’s the Bad Axe 12″ Dovetail Saw #33T0972 @ “only” $339 for my sweetie who builds the most gorgeous furniture. That gift card will cover a significant chunk of it. Fingers crossed and big thanks to you for a the chance to win!
The Lee Valley Christmas catalogue is about my favourite catalogue of all time. Sigh.
First – those Makedo Cardboard Building Systems. I already had them in a cart at a US company and am so much happier to buy them from Lee Valley! Anyone looking for good crafting ideas for kids – these are the bomb. Also the Metal Model sets. The ear bud holders and the folding cell phone holder for my son. I need a new apple peeler. And the egg poachers that hook to the side of the pot. We are big supporters of Lee Valley – the quality of all their goods is beyond reproach. Thank you, Karen, for hooking up with such a great Canadian company and spreading the love. (I’m not suggesting you are actually “hooking up” with them. Though if you are, you have awesome taste!)
Cookie scoops! Squirrel proof feeder! and from their hardware catalogue, shelf brackets!
Love this place and have been there twice in the last week or so. Their hidden bracket supports have been wonderful for installing my new live edge mantel. But, my poor hands took a beating sanding and finishing it so a very large supply of that Badger Balm sounds like something I could use. A brick clip fastener so I don’t have to get out my ladder and drill a hole in my brick to hang my large wreath above my garage – brilliant! Hand warmers for standing at the GO train all winter going to and from work …. simple things, but great things! Thanks Karen and Lee Valley.
Hi Stephanie, I’ve had my brick clips for years and they are a brilliant product! Not only for wreaths, lights,, whatever outside but on my brick fireplace since I like to change the art around and my husband gets all twitchy at the idea of drilling holes in the mortar. If you get them, just be sure to check your brick size first.
Good to know. I didn’t realize there were brick sizes. Thank you!!
Love Lee Valley!!! a lot of my kitchen is filled with their stuff. I also love my Xmas metal tinsel … or I call them icicles 🙂 And it’s a bonus they are close by to me!!! An offer for free stuff …. bonus!!!
The candle lantern – pricey but so neat. LED solar lights, pastry mat, the butter measure, hubby needs the knife sharpener. All of their of garden stuff is high standard, so that would be on my list and lots of stuff for the birds …. love my birds!
Great giveaway!!!
Thanks Karen!!
The mechanized craze and probably the microwave popcorn thingy. I do love this catalog… Nothing can beat getting the JCPenny catalog with the toy section, but this comes close.
That was fun! And didn’t take long to exceed the gift card 🙂
* puzzle roll
* whirley pop
* Jar opener
* window mount thermometer
* reusable hand warmer
* axe bracket set (didn’t know I needed one ’til I saw it!)
* anti fatigue mat
* firewood storage rack
* Modular cargo organizer
* mason cash mixing bowls
Hard to choose, but the Atlas pasta machine would get plenty of use at my house and save me SO much time and energy rolling out and cutting pasta!! ( and yes I am at work and yes that catalog completely sucked me in!!)
Indoor garden gro-lite. I must confess to getting a bit-short-tempered with the shortness of the evenings since changeover.
I totally get excited about Lee Valley! It’s toys r us for grown ups!! There are many things I would love to get for Christmas gifts for others and myself. Here’s some:
Mason Cash large mixing bowl…because my Oma had one and it’s what you need to make Oma’s cakes
Box grater, because I should probably get a tetanus shot to continue using mine
Chop safe finger guard for a friend I convinced to stop using her paring knife and buy a real knife, she cut her finger
Touch control for tree lights for my Mom…she has a wee obsession, all her lamps are touch control.
Stand up pencil case for my God-Daughter…cause it’s cool
VegTrug wall hugger for the man, so he doesn’t have to crawl on his knees
crossing my fingers! and my toes 🙂
I like the Buglit LED Micro-Flashlights. I have to take a flashlight out with me in the morning to get the newspaper, might as well be stylish!
Veg trug wall hugger. Thats my pick. Fingers crossed 🙂
Steerable Rolling Seat with Tool Tray for my 86 year young gardening Mom and the Squirrel Buster Plus™ Feeder so that she can feed and watch the birds in the winter. Thanks for the chance
The pinch & pour measuring cups look like fantastic space-savers. And the mandoline- one of those things a person always looks at, but doesn’t buy because they’re expensive. This could be the one big chance to get it!
ALL THE DREXEL THINGS!
I meant dremel. Silly autocorrect.
Mason Cash mixing bowls!
The Christmas Tree stand first and foremost. The cell phone plug protectors. Kitchen gadgets. Oh My!
$250.00 really!!! OK, here goes. ReadRest, brilliant, must have. I’ve lost my glasses on top of my head far too many times. Magnetic Cannon, oh the fun the grandkids will have with that one. Blocks & marbles, again those lucky grandkids (2 boys, 2 and 4 yrs. old). Classic games, for all of us to play together…looking forward to all that “family time” as our 4 yr. old grandson calls it. Oh, the Gingerbread House…gotta make that with them, they’ll love it. 3D Puzzle ornament…they might be a little young, but their parents aren’t. That all season convertible wagon is another must have to pull them around in year round. The fingertip magnet, for my husband of course. Kumihimo Kit for me, just learned a friend teaches this & would love to learn. Touch control for lights, now how cute is that little tree, and it turns on the lights just by touching it…gotta have that. Love the Tree Leather Totes, I’d buy em. Wait…am I out of money yet??? What’ll I do, how do I decide? So many amazing ideas in just one little catalogue. Loved all of it!! Gotta get to Lee Valley.
I would buy the safari finger puppet collection because it’s so cute, the pro seam ripper kit because I have recently started sewing again and, well, *need* it…, the battery tester, the travel hand soap and the micro shears which are so useful if you are only clipping threads…
Bird feeders, bird feeders, bird feeders! Or anything new for the kitchen…all stuff for me. So selfish I know. I would love to see my husband in the flannel night shirt and cap. Hubba hubba. Wink wink!
I just love Lee Valley!! There is one a couple buildings over from my work and it is the best place to find unique gifts for my hard-to-buy-for family members! First and foremost I would love the Pastry Kit and the Pie Shields. I have starting taking over the pie making from my grandmother and these would be so helpful. I would also love the candle powered lantern. That is such a neat idea and something really unique to put out on the patio table in the Summer. Lastly I could use one of those glasses clips because they will never stay up on my head! Thanks for the opportunity Karen!
Second comment. Okay. I spent the entire platelet donating time reading through about 3/4 of the comments and looking up other wish list items, and then began a shopping cart for me, and I am up to 25 items and about $750! I’ll have to pare down just a tad! Karen this was so much fun, and I had forgotten about marking things in the catalog when I was a kid. Thank you so much for offering this, and I’m now trying to find the American locations. I have family in the Pacific northwest, and they would love browsing this place! Love love…My list includes the pastry guides. My old old rolling pin is probably not really long enough, so that may be in there, too. Need the pizza rocker. : )
We do stockings in my family, so it would be easy to shop at Lee Valley (which I do every Christmas anyhow!) — flashlights, bird feeders, and now those glasses pocket thingies!
OH MY!!!
A new catalogue that I have never seen before. So many GOOD IDEAS for presents and even some things for me. LOVE the chef knife. NEED the seed starters, 2 please. The suspenders are PERFECT for my brother. The kneeler stool and tool caddy set up would HELP in the garden and yard. For my grand nephew the balsa glider (that was a JOY to see) and the pocket microscope for his SWEET sister. And then if there is any money left, those clothes pins are the cat’s MEOW!!!
That was fun. It would be even more FUN to WIN!
I’d love the wire bender or any of the kitchen tools!
So many of the tools and outdoor bird things for my mum!
I used up my whole lunch hour looking at the catalog…oops, time flies when you’re having fun.
I would like to get a lot of the stuff for my kids, but believe I’d have to go for the growlight indoor garden because my daughter always wants to grow things all year, but we can’t in WA state.
An apple peeler for me, I don’t care if I don’t really have the space for it – I’ve wanted one for about 20 years! and egg poacher cups, because it’s easier than doing it in the water directly.
Ok…fingers crossed 🙂
wow, I would live the LED lights and the retractable garden hose
Yup, I’m at work! At first glance I’d get the time-lapse camera, some of the metal model kits and some rare earth magnets. At second glance, one of everything else 🙂
Crokinole board, no contest. And then the rest one of those indestructible umbrellas – cause we have been getting battered here on Vancouver Island.
Of course the 8 piece garden tool set, for Karen, seeing as how she keeps playing in the dirt.
Was in Lee Valley last week and realized I have all of their tools already.
Oh, oh!!! I.Am.So.Excited!!! I’ve made my list and checked it twice…all of this stuff is so freakin nice!!
Gude Chef’s Knife
Pocket Microscope
Bug Lit LED Micro Flash Light
Quik Stand
LED Infrared Detection Light
Super Magnets fro the Fridge
Lifetime Clothespins
Lee Valley Self-Watering Seed Starter
Trunk Organizers
Stainless Steel Compost Pail
Log Cabin & Barn Ornament Kits
Grill Fry Tongs
And now for those on I need to buy for….
I may need a bit more than $250! LOL
Okay Karen, Here we go. I was going to pick the Lifetime Clothes Pins but then I’d have to change my will to include them, but I would definitely get a few Ice Lantern Molds to make my boreal forest home shimmer in the dark and a couple of adjustable pie shields for myself. But for my gifting (after all it is a gift card) I would select some Star Wars Metal Model Kits for my nephew (you know the Scandinavian furniture guy) and his son (the Lego and Star Wars nut) I think this would be a nice step up from Lego. And then I’d also get a Wireless Weather Station for my bestie as she always lusts over them but can’t bring herself to spend the cash. Regardless I will do some more chugging and browsing this evening. Thanks and keep up the good work.
I am back nowknow Lee Valley ship internationally! I would spends choosing if I won, but for now I call dibs on the Whirleypop popcorn pot, the gorgeous Da Vinci models,the 3D globe puzzle for my Dad and the marble block building set because I have nephews. Please pick me!
* spend hours choosing I mean!
I would definitely get as much as I could. I have twin grandsons that I’m getting interested in woodworking. I met Len when he started his mail order business out of a shed that I think was on Church street near Caling Ave iin Ottawa and I’ve been buying his stuff ever since.
I would go for the baking stuff!
Mason Cash Mixing Bowls (all three sizes)
Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoons
and I love love love the Marcato Cookie Press!
I would take the Crokinole/Checkers Board for some family game time and those toe socks would be nice too!
I think the camera would be perfect for catching birds at my feeders. Plus I would have to have some of the kitchen gadgets. Also I noticed a nutcracker that cracked walnuts. I like that too.
I would love to get the crokinole board and the camera lucida. I haven’t played crokinole in ages, and I love the game! And the camera lucida looks to be right up my alley because I hate disproportionate things when I draw. There are also at LEAST a dozen other things I want. This catalogue has been a lifelong favourite of mine! I already own a few items for my nephews and they LOVE them! Like the non-marring building blocks, those are great. Even my cat thinks they’re delicious (she’s weird and loves foamy plastic).
Oh I don’t even need to look at a catalogue! Those little white garden vegetable/hand scrubbers, garden clogs, pastry tools! The best and most interesting toys for the kids… something woodworkey for ma man. One of those squirrel proof bird feeders would be nice too! Great contest!
hahaha….this is an active post! But, hey, how can you not like Lee Valley, how can you not like $250, and what fool could not enjoy this blog? So, having sucked up a bit…I would like…
1. The Crokinole board for $149. I have wonderful memories of that game, it is foolish of me not to have another at hand.
2. The Kolsch beer glasses. A dozen for $19.95, sign me up.
3. The Grampa nightshirt and cap. That will sorta piss off my two darling dotters but they are at an age now where a fine beer served in it’s proper glass whilst enjoying a rousing game of crokinole around Daddy’s woodstove in the garage would have the good potential for a memory in the making.
Good luck to all and may the best of the season be with you!
I loved the Lee Valley catalog! If I was to get a gift card, hands down, it would be the Wall Hugging VegTrug for me.
What a great contest! I love Lee Valley, I just got an order from them today 🙂
I think I might get the Camera Lucida and the Grow Light Garden, or maybe I would go for the miniature tool set.
I would get an anti-fatigue wellness mat and a set of joinery saws.
Hi Karen
Now that I’ve got your Proving Cloth (I’m taking bread-baking classes to get up the nerve to use it!), I feel the need for more wonderful kitchen gadgets. Confidence comes from having the right tools — and a good application of mascara and lip gloss. I’d love to try that snazzy-looking pasta maker complete with motor!
The mixing bowls, canning jar lids….
The All-Season Convertible Wagon!
Lee Valley will even send you copies of the catalogues to leaf through over a glass of wine. I’m a regular Lee Valley shopper…their hardware is incredible and their catalogue full of innovative things you didn’t know you needed. I highly recommend their jar opener (for everyone but especially elderly folks). I would want the building blocks for the grandkids, the Crokinole set for me (memory from my childhood of my twin brother and I winging them around. My nailbeds hurt just thinking about it…we weren’t well-behaved). The German Safety Goggles for their Steampunk awesomeness and the Dremel 3000 (even grown-ups like new toys).
If I win, here’s the items I would love the most:
SupraBeam Q7defend Flashlight. $109
Dremel 3000. $69
Battery Tester. $6.95
Universal Sharpener. $22.50
Lever Action Can Opener. $29.50
Hi Karen,
My entry comes with a bit of a story. My Dad left me this old Harley motorcycle when he passed away. I was too afraid to ride it so I posted it for sale. A man wrote me from Montreal one day (we live north of Toronto) and asked if I wanted the trade the motorcycle for a custom handmade piece of furniture. I was in the process of trying to convince my lovely husband to make me a 12 foot table so I thought, why not try for the trade? Shockingly the man from Montreal accepted and we made the trade a few months later. We asked for it to be unfinished so that my husband and I could finish it exactly as wanted. However, it has sat in our dining room now unfinished for over a year!
If I was to win this contest we would most definitely buy a Vertias Low Angle Jack Plane and finish the table once and for all!!!
I’ve included a pic of the table and bike on trade day. Lol!!
That’s hilarious, lol. You got the better deal. I mean you can put wheels on the table and take it out for a ride but he could never have Thanksgiving dinner on his motorcycle. ~ karen!
Well….Apparently, I was so excited about the giveaway, I posted a comment in the wrong section.
*ahem* I think the All-Season Convertible Wagon would be delightful! Even though my particular weather isn’t so frightful. But I do have fanciful visions of Sand Skiing on the planet Tatooine one day…
Great giveaway, thanks!! So many great gift ideas…..Safari finger puppets, time lapse camera, folding hand truck, pastry kit, silicone canning mat, gardener’s wash basket.
The seafood scissors seem like they would save me from hours of shrimp hands. What a great company!
all the things, of course! (but especially the veggie spiralizer, bear paw meat shredder, grandpa pajamas, time lapse camera, wireless thermometer, etc….
Wow so many wonderful goodies. Thanks for the oportunity to dream of sharing these goodies.
To start with:
lifetime clothes pins to share with family and friends who use clothes lines
4 in 1 wrenches and the LED vest for the cyclists in the family
light weight binoculars for the travellers
I love your catalogues (tool pornography) store and products.
A large blunt umbrella for all those rainy Ottawa music festivals, and a folding hand-truck to help us lug all of our wedding food and surprises to the campground we are getting married at next year!
Some gardening tools, because they make the best, and the motion sensing camera because the evil deer eat nearly everything in my garden and I’d love to see them in the act.
Thanks for the best giveaway ever!!
I would buy the Block and marble super set along with the Da Vinci models for my grand daughters!
Dear Santa (or Karen or Lee Valley) – My grandchildren would love the convertible wagon on page 30. We’ve been good all year.
Thanks
I’m all about food…. so…. I would buy the drip less batter and Mar atom pasta cutter.
I love the FreeForm® Folding Trays on page 5. I take 3 meals a day to my 99 year old Mom who lives across the street. What a great idea to have a tray that transforms to a placemat.
You are very cruel! – the more I see the more I ‘think’ I must have.
I see lots of great stuff that you just can’t get in stores. I live on the westcoast, and Lee Valley has an umbrella that just might survive our rain storms. Which other store could I EVER buy those lifetime clothespins, or the silicone ear bud storage case for my expensive ear buds, or the high quality dremmel tool so I can fix the one broken tile in the middle of my floor,…I could spend over $250 in a heartbeat, and before I even reached the cooking/baking or outdoor tools section,…I think I have dreamed up at least half my shopping list just reviewing this catalogue.
Thanks Karen for reminding me how great Lee Valley Tools is to shop at!
I would buy the Veritas right hand shooting plane because there’s a spot left in my tool cabinet waiting for it.
First I think this is a difficult challenge because I love Lee Valley products and covet so many of their tools and gadgets. But right off the bat I know that I want about a dozen of the potable duct tape thingies in multiple colors and flashlights and carving tools and the pie baking kit and… Well you get the idea. I can really put the $250 gift card to use. Keeping my fingers crossed!!
Hi , the low angle jack plane would be what I would get for250$ .
I love this catalog! Well, I must say probably all of the kitchen gadgets! If I was the lucky winner!!! Well, I would probably freak and dance like crazy to tell the truth!!!!!! Lee Valley has some really incredible kitchen gadgets that I haven’t seen here in Texas! We have squirrels galore like no other, so I would need to treat them real nice with a squirrel feeder too! Well, I have my fingers crossed and going back to Lee Valley’s catalog to shop for myself . .okay, others dang it!!!
If i win I want the robotic arm, the pie crust guards and the finger puppets! Maybe the ice candle molds too. Cool catalog!
Oh my!!!! Anything woodworking-related. Also bird feeders. Or maybe I could just get a job there?
I like everything in that catalogue! My favorites so far would be the log holder, Da Vinci models, multi tools and socks.
I would love to use my gift card to purchase the Narex chisels for my incredible boyfriend. At 50 years old I have finally met the man of my dreams and he has shared his love of woodworking with me.
Wow, just wow! What wouldn’t you want? But, if forced to choose, I’d love the candle lantern for the power failures that are sure to come this winter. The Luci lights I fell in love with when my nephew gave them away to villagers when he was in the Peace Corp – having some for us would be great. The squirrel proof feeder with be sure to please my hubby. And boy what stocking stuffers I could find for the family – gadgets galore! So excited about this post!
I love Lee Valley! My $250 would go into 27 cool things from the Cooking Tools section.
A crokinole board and a stainless steel compost pot 🙂
Indoor Garden grow lights and super magnets for everyone’s fridges
IMHO, everyone should have the German Safety Goggles on their list! They are tres cool and fun and kinda crazy. My husband wears his at Halloween to scare the wee kiddies with his demented mad scientist routine. If y’all don’t win the gift card, buy them anyways.
A pasta machine and some garden tools. They’re already on my list anyway.
Definitely the knife sharpener. I have a drawer full of really nice, really dull knives. And a meat pounder. I always mean to buy one because nothing else works as well, but then I talk myself out of it and use silly substitutes. Also a Blunt Umbrella, because every umbrella I’ve picked up in my house so far this fall has been broken. If there’s anything leftover, I’d choose a model building kit, because I love to build things and Christmas ought to have something fun, not just everything useful.
I LOVE THIS CATALOG! I would get the block and marble super set and the models on pages10-11 for my library maker space.
First off, I want some bird feeders, and a new Felco pruner, maybe two, as I keep losing them. I suspect they are all buried in the compost pile. Then I would like the Grow-Light indoor garden, although I suspect I am already over the gift certificate limit – but hey, why stop there. Best of luck to everyone and happy holidays!
obviously that glasses thing for me and all of my brewers
I would love to have the all season wagon for all the little chores around the yard.
Hypotrochoid art sets, without a doubt.
O so much too choose from….Mason Cash bowls ! Love them…and some super magnets and and and!
Awesome giveaway, I love Lee Valley!
I have my eye on the Vegtrug and the Marcato pasta machine & motor.
I would get some Veritas PM-V11 Bench Chisels!
Oh my! Where do I start?! The popcorn maker, rolling garden seat, extendable shoe horn, mixing bowls… I would like it all!
Beautiful! Reminds me of walking through LL Bean in Maine! I would start with the garden tote and the headlamp and camping lanterns and the puppet kit and the timeless game sets.
One tablet support arm, please!
Hiya Karen!!! What a great catalog. There’s just too much to narrow it down. But I did especially like the Candle Powered LED Lantern. And some new bird feeders. Can always use magnets around the house. Oh, and flashlights and umbrellas. Just. Too. Much. Stuff. Like I need any more stuff LOL. Thanks for having the giveaway. Blessed be, hugs!!!
OH MY!!! I think I would try and get some toys for the grand kids, I also liked the
Le Thiers® Bistro Knives set of 4 would be good for me. I also like a couple of gardening tools and the vegtrug is pretty awesome! Oh almost for got bird feeders!!
Thanks
Oh my gosh, Karen. I was just looking through this catalogue a couple days ago and drooling over everything. So many things I’d love. I’d get the Vegetable Spiralizer because I’ve been eyeing one of those for a while. Our cheap IKEA plastic shoehorn broke, so just to be fancy, I’d get my hubby the Leonardo Shoehorn for $49.50. I’d love to try the Garden Bandit Loop Weeder and the Self-watering seed starter. I’d also get hubby the Tree Leather Billfold Wallet. I’ve still got money left! I’d get the Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker. I’d spend the last little bit on some little things like the Tree Leather zippered Pouch.
If I were to buy a big item and do it all in one go, I would get the Grow Light Indoor Garden or the Wagon where the wheels come off and you can put on the little sled runners. 🙂
The last link goes to the Plege post, instead of the catalog, just FYI.
Thanks Mindy! ~ karen
It’s all about that small double square.
Ooohhhh. So if I had to narrow it down to 3 things they would be: the seam ripper set since I tend to lately be the sew 3 times, rip 4 and toss the project to the side, the readers rest to keep my eyeglasses handy so I don’t have to rip seams 4 times and pretty much all of page 14. If I have to limit myself!
Dremel 3000, some of the Phone Holders, LED Direction lights and Mini Candle Lanterns, and knife sharpener would be so useful.
(Just a little reading until I get sleepy enough to go back to bed? Feeling like a SUCKER for clicking over to your site… Now how’m I gonna turn my brain off?)
I had anal retentive tendencies even as a kid. Never put a mark directly in the catalog, just made a list from it. Page number references ’cause I knew Santa was a busy guy.
So, here we go:
BirdCam Pro Motion-Activated Camera (AB957) Wanna catch the critter eating our veggies! Sorry Santa, it’s the internets so no page #. (Thanks Karen!)
ooh, love Lee Valley. I would get the Candle Powered Lantern for when the power goes out, and the whirley popcorn maker. And the motion activated camera to see that moose that leaves all those hoof prints around the house.
Those silicone muffin pans looks really helpful and I would also want the dough guides that help you roll out dough to a particular thickness (although it would probably leave my kitchen and be used for rolling out clay for pottery pieces). 🙂 Thanks for your generosity.
I would love the Marcato Pasta Machine Santa!
Since I’ve already placed 4 orders while free shipping was on, with the gift card I’d be shopping for me! I’ve coveted the mandoline for years and the fat separator. Any money left over would buy more mini measuring cups because I use mine constantly!
Toy model kits
I would love the Sweet & Easy Snack Maker. Wouldn’t that be fun for all?
Oohhh! Art supplies and gardening and birding and and and…!!! I love almost everything in Lee Valley catalogs.
Ooooooh! The weather station and bird feeders!
Wow! So much to choose from, but for starters…mini s&p mills, canning jar caps, beechwood scoops, box grater, and some toys for the grandchildren. Thank you!
Definitively one of those overhead radiant heaters 😀
So many neat items to choose from, but here are my favourites:
– earbuds storage cases for my kids
– pocket microscope
– blocks & marbles super set
– magnetic cannon
– suprabeam flashlights
– charging cable savers
– ecofan for on top of our woodstove
– pair of trick bolts
– duralex picardie glasses
– silicone jar opener
Metal model kits – a lunar module or bat mobile outside the gingerbread shanty, never mind the Enterprise flying overhead – would be the talk of the imaginary town!
Pocket kite – great to have for those times people tell me to “go fly a kite!”
Bear paw meat shredder – I always wanted to know what it was like to be a bear for a day
Margarethe Mixing Bowls – I need them to mix my gingerbread in. No, seriously, my bowls are done
Folding tool holder – just good to know where all the tools are…’jus saying
Safari finger puppet set – I could keep my guests entertained for HOURS! Maybe end up with my own reality finger puppet show. Possibilities are endless!
I was so happy to find my Lee Valley catalog waiting for me when I got home from our weekend adventures! I carefully looked through each page, thinking “you didn’t know you needed that…” as I was trying to devise a clever pirate gift for this year’s Christmas exchange with things from the catalog. Imagine my surprise when I opened my email much later in the day to find out about the big give away! YAY! But, I was a recipient last year, so this year I offer good luck and happy holiday wishes to everyone else.
Karen, yours is the only blog I subscribe to and read faithfully. Thank you for many great ideas and hearty laughs this past year!
Hmmmmmmm…. Christmas gifts – the non-marring building blocks would be great for twin toddlers, the Dremel rotary tool for my brother-in-law, and a handful of LED flashlights for stocking stuffers.
The Blunt umbrella is first on my list. For years I have wanted the Dremel rotary tool, so that is also something on my list!!
Definitely the electric knife sharpener! I’m tired of using dull knives.
Toys for my daughter (especially the building ones) and definitely anti-slip soles for myself. I’m always falling on the ice. Every. Winter.
The suspenders for my husband (they’re cute!) and the pasta maker, vegetable spiralizer and Bear Paws meat shredder(neat idea!)
For me, the Bohm Stirling Engine kit, definitely. Magnetic hooks, magnetic holders… always handy.
The Blocks and Marbles Super Set for my daughter. She LOVES marbles.
A new squirrel-buster bird feeder and just about any kind of kitchen gadget for my wife.
And with what’s left over, hand tools and hardware.
Camera-any camera, scissors, and large thermometer-please!
Seed starting supplies! Grow lights! Trays, peat moss mix, tools!
Or a whole lot of antique finished knobs and pulls!!!
My favourite Christmas catalogue!!! I would buy the foam blocks for my nephew (we have had them for 7 years- by far the fav toy of our three boys), dremel, magnets, and I might be interested in one of their plant grow lights!!
I would love to have an electric knife sharpener. For the kids…the metal Star Wars model kits. Maybe that robotic arm on the last page too.
I would get gardening supplies for my mom and woodworking tools for me…. treat yo self!!!
Thanks!
-m
The crokinole board for our family, we have one at the lake in ON but would love one at home here in SK. Also either the leonardo shoehorn or the extendable shoehorn for my dad for use at our house when he visits. 3D puzzle ornaments and the stand up pencil case for gifts, maybe the folding phone holder. So many options!! Love Lee Valley!
Okay, pretty much everything but if I had to choose I would have to go with the Veg Trug Wall Hugger.
Dear Santa: I would love another spokeshave, finger magnet, and some egg lights please. I have ‘tried’ to be good but still working on it.
…aside,… Love wood-working tools, etc. of any kind. (chisels for larger pieces of wood, etc.)
P.S. cookies, and bourbon will be in the usual place this year for you.
Thank-you.
Oh my goodness!! What wouldn’t I get!
I’d get admiral Fitz Roy’s storm glass for my grandpa! and a solitary bees nest and a seeding square for me! Although the time lapse camera sure has my attention! I’ve never been in the store, as the closest one is over 4 hours away, but this would give me a good reason to go for a shopping trip to the city!
LOVE the German Safety Goggles! (And also the Pastry Kit, Epicurean Pizza Peel and Christmas Tree Storage Bag)
I’d get the VegTrug wall hugger, the pie shield, and the stainless steel rasp.
This was a delight to do. The Lee Valley Catalog “IS” my Christmas Catalog. In years past I have browsed the catalog, circled my choices and left it on the kitchen table. It always worked.
MY LIST
Large Squirrel Resistant Feeder—because we have many high IQ squirrels
Lantern 3 Stage Touch Wireless Lamp—don’t want to miss a card game or MahJongg because the hydro went out
Wireless Color Weather Forecast Station—I like to know what to wear when venturing outside
Handybar—to help my husband
Nora
The Candle Powered LED Lantern and everything else would be nifty for my family for Christmas! My kids love Lee Valley!
Oh, man, I love their catalogue. It’s where I found you Karen, on one of their newsletters, which I subscribe to. I’d spend it on any garden related items, like a new Haws watering can, or some seed starting pots. Their gift ideas are always fabulous, and unusual. They have lots of stocking stuffer items if you’re so inclined. Maybe I’ll get lucky & WIN!
I *need* that kangaroo pocket apron; I’m going to be up to 13 fruit trees in the spring. And those metal models…and the wooden models…and that nightcap. OMG, hydraulic robot arm!!!
The cardboard building set because my son and I are always building out of cardboard. This would be more fun to use instead of zip ties. The blocks and marbles set because I loved the one my grandmother had at her house when I was a kid and would love to share the joy it gave me with my own child. The gingerbread house cookie cutter set because building a gingerbread house is a holiday tradition in our home but we always use a premade kit. We decided to step it up a notch and do it from scratch this year! Lifetime clothespins because the wooden ones are not strong enough for living room fort building! The Hydraulic robot arm because my kid loves robots and would enjoy this very much. And for me the Low profile mortar and pestle for making my own beauty products!
I would love to pick up some kitchen gadgets, like the Butter Measuring Guide, the Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons, and a couple Gardener’s Wash Baskets. The VegTrug would also be excellent for my balcony though, and a dream come true for my partner and I!
I made a list. I want the knife sharpener and the folding tray. I love all of the tools. I need a second mortgage on my house…….
I cant kep my list down to just $250! I want something from every page!
Fingers crossed!!
Lots I like, but great ideas for others…chisels for my wonderful husband, toys for the grandkids, knife sharpener for the cooking friends, the Veg Trug for a daughter who loves to garden…..
Since I can’t think of any use for the pocket chain saw–POCKET!!–I’ll start with an order of the nut cracker, pizza peel and rocker. Would Lee Valley let you take any interior shots on your next visit, for those of us not nearby?
For sure the Suprabeam Q7XR flashlight. Ready for anything with that bad boy.
I’d say the popcorn popper or the indoor garden starter. Love Lee Valley Tools!
Wow, the aluminum folding camping table, just what I’ve been looking for. And TOOLS. Can never have enough.
Lee Valley is the only catalog that ends up dog eared in our home. I have been eyeing many of the woodworking tools, but know that my husband would use those too. So, I am going for an item that would only be used by me, the full set of gardening tools or the spade shovel with a variety of the gardening tools.
Hey Karen!
I love looking through the catalogue! List was easy as it’s the same that was on my wish list last year ?
1. Grow light indoor garden
2. Bee nest
3. Seed square
4. DaVinci model for my nephew!
Thanks for the contest!
The time-lapse camera to take pictures of my chickens when I’m not around and I’m certain they are discussing the current state of the United States under Mayor McCheeto and a bunch of earth magnets to keep them in their run!
Love the magnetic reade glasses thingy I bought at Lee Valley 2 years ago. What I would like more than anything now is their antiqued bronze craftsman style knobs/handles for the redo on my old kitchen cupboards.
Ooooh, so many choices but I would pick the grow lights, the mason cash bowls and the butter measurer. Hmm, I’m driving right by a Lee Valley at the end of the month…
Oh, wow! That is one catalog I didn’t need to see. I am in heaven. I would spend my money on stocking stuffers galore! I’d start with earbud storage cases for all five kids, and craft supplies for my sock, and…
I just got my catalog the day this contest came out so I’ve had a chance to peruse it in paper. I instantly coveted the Gute chefs knife. At 429.00 a gift card is in order.
My wish list would include a squirrel buster bird feeder. And all the stuffing stuffers on page 53. Some I would keep, others I would give to my husband.
Simple: Veritas Power Tenon Cutters. Perfect for fashioning ‘twig’ furniture. Like a rustic high-back bench made from a fallen birch. On which you could sit and relax with the Lee Valley catalog. Turning the pages slowly until you spot that one I-gotta-have-this item that drives you to call and order. Only to realize later that you probably don’t need the world’s strongest magnet set, and that you should probably stop drinking.
Easy! Chef’s Choice Knife Sharpener, Model 1520. The Globals are waiting.
I love the magnetic glasses holder! I use cheapy glasses and put them on my head, which causes the arms to fall off eventually. Or I lose them. I know plenty of others on my list who need them too. I covet the mandolin, and there’s a ton of stocking stuffers I’d love. I think I really need a hard copy of that catalogue…
Oooo! Vegtrug wallhugger and wooden kyougi pads!
i would be buying carving tools gardening tools the magnetic glass holder chefs choice knife sharpener as well as bird feeders and lots of stocking stuffers for all the family we could really use some good luck here as we have had so many aweful things happen to us this year and a bit of happiness would be the ticket ty so much good luck to all
I would love to win the $250.00 gift card to purchase the Complete Miniature Tool Set for wood working.
I would add to my growing collection of Lee Valley tools starting with Cordable Gear Tie® Flexible Ties to keep my cords contained and pencil case for my colored pencils. I would also love to own the palm sander you reviewed the other day.
Oh my, I have a long list. The first few things though are the Remote Controlled LED spotlight for a part of my yard that is just too dark. The seafood scissors would be very handy when making gumbo and I want several of the Hurricane Lamps for when we have hurricanes and no power for a week or two.
I need anti-fatigue mats … because, well, I followed your lead and am getting a vct floor in my kitchen!!!
You’ll love ’em Takia! ~ karen
Just last week, I made a two hour trip to a Lee Valley Store. Received some wonderful support and advice from the gentlemen who work behind the counter for husband’s Christmas gifts. Also picked up their beautiful hardware catalogue!
I stood on their wellness mat and instantly coveted it. Far superior to the mat we got at a big box store
Steerable rolling seat. How lazy is that? I want it.
Oh my! The working hands cream because I’m a farmer and my hands are made of sandpaper. A Dietz No. 80 Hurricane Lantern for getting to the barn in the dark (I’ve always wanted one). Loads of toys for the big and little people on my Christmas list. And finally the eye glasses clip for my neighbor who once called me to ask if my dog was on the loose because he thought maybe she’d stolen his glasses!
A set of garden tools for next summer! And probably the wood burning system along with some chisels. Would make for a busy summer 🙂
I think that that butter measure is just the best thing ever! I would get one of those for everyone on my list. And for myself, the stainless steel measuring cups and the pastry guide. This is so fun!
I just love the popcorn maker for the microwave and I’ve decided that Lee Valley Tools is the only place for me to do my Christmas shopping instead of walking through malls. I can definitely find how to spend $250. at Lee Valley.
It’s the best store ever for presents Francine. ~ karen!
Any/All of the wooden toys for my grandsons
Regular and mini muffins pans, 2 egg lights, anti-fatigue mat, and a wooden toy kits or two.
I would start by getting a grapefruit knife and a couple of the tree leather tote bags and then see where the rest of the money takes me!
Hurray for Holiday giveaways!!
First you had me at a Badger Balm. (In your photo). But what would I not want from the catalogue? Something for everything! I’d definitely pick up some garden supplies.
Ok, I would spend, spend, spend! I would get the Lee Valley puzzles, the Pro Seam Ripper Kit for sis, the Reade rest for most of my friends & me, the Felco Pruners for my mom, and the Nutcracker for mom too. I love Lee Valley. You turned me onto them about 3 years ago and I am always ordering something or other. They are a TOP NOTCH company. You rock Karen.
Allll the metal model kits, and a hypotrochoid art set… for my daughter of course. Ha!
As an amateur woodworker, I’ve long lusted after the Veritas hand tools, so were I to win I would most likely use the gift card as a down payment on their beautiful Low-Angle Jack Plane!
OMG!!
I would LOVE either the Vegetable Spiralizer (EV540) OR the Veg Trug (EG305)!!!
And that’s only because I had to limit it!
Adore the catalog and your blog!
Thanks
Wow! So many readers! You are truly blessed to have so many friends! Including Lee Valley!
I have SO MANY wants!!! Here are a few….
The Warren Bergman Carving ToolKit
Several pairs of Toe Socks
The Collapsible Bird feeder
Pinch and Pour Measuring Beakers
I could spend that $250 SO FAST!
Definitely the weather station because I’m a geek like that. Also the retractable hose holder which is a huge need!
Hmm. Tough question.
Veg trug Wall Hugger
automatic needle threader
seal removal pliers
So many treasures, so little time!
Tried to RQ a catalog for Missouri and wasn’t able to get past Canada option. Is it up and running in USA? Are there standing stores here in the states? Will they ship down south? If not, just one more reason to emigrate to your fair isle.
I’m lusting after so many items that look irresistible on my phone, I would waste the day away if I had a catalog. Guess I should b careful what i wish for.
But the item that made me gasp was the Camera Lucida! Exsqueeze me? Yes please. Rounding out my spree would be the stainless steel composter, BearPaw meet shredders, and the oh so clever
Scrigit scraper. Can’t believe I’ve lived this long without this particular wonder.
Just like the Sears Christmas Wish Book but for grownups! My list has folding phone holder x3, LED infrared detection light for dark closets and basement laundry when my hands are full, twisted seal stopper and vegetable spiralizer (one for me and one to give away) Thanks for the chance!
OMG – The Squirrel Resistant Feeder is what I need. Please Santa …….
Well, I see about a dozen things that I would like but one of the first things would be that strap you attach to your luggage and you lift it up and it weighs your luggage. And then I have a grandchild that is a mechanical gadget kind of kid and she would love one of those little kits where you put things together.
Oh, this is easy!
-those Safari finger puppets for our young niece
-the Blunt umbrella for my Pops because he braves any weather to walk everyday
– the Lee Valley Garden Tote bag for my hard-gardenin’ Mom
– and the Thiers Bistro knives for my Honey because our knives are so dull they barely slice through butter any more
Fingers crossed!!
I finally found time to look through the Lee Valley catalog and it made me want jump in my car and head for the border and find the nearest store. Winning the gift card would make it even more fun. I would get the spirilizer and the squirrel proof bird feeder and have fun doing more browsing.
My first choice would be the large Mason Cash mixing bowl to replace the one I recently broke. We received it as part of a wedding gift 44 years ago. The set is now incomplete and I didn’t realize how sad I’d be to lose that bowl!
Oh Boy!
If I had the cookie press, my cookies would be as awesome as my sister’s. The Camera Lucida would mean I could get a leg up on my drawing. YAY! Lots of self-improvement fun.
The candle powered LED lantern would be an awesome thing to own. And I need some of those finger puppets for my granddaughter.
Something for everyone in the family! That’s why we love Lee Valley!! A metal plane model, son in law is an airplane mechanic! The wooden toys for our granchildren, many of the camping and baking items! Our whole family loves camping! Daughter, son, daughter in law, granchildren and my husband and myself, of course! We are looking for binoculars right now! And our yard will always be a work in progress, but we love that! Go gardening!!!! Thank you for the chance to win this gift! ??
Umbrella, bird feeder, anti fatigue may, folding trays. So many great things
I love the squirrel resistant feeders, the veg trug, mandolins and that eye glass holder you got for your sister…are you kidding,that is genius! I am so tired of my Jimmy Choo awesome sparkly glasses hitting the floor. Sign me up!
I would get one of the bird feeders…or with $250, multiple bird feeders!
All I have to do is reach behind me and grab my copy and start choosing- I feel like I’m playing the old ‘Wheel of Fortune’:
“Pat, I’ll have the handwoven basket tote for $59, the collapsible bird feeder for $32.50, the Lanterna Lamp for $39.50, the digging spade for $65- and a pocket microscope for $ 17.90”
They just opened a new Lee Valley in our city, so exciting!
Love Lee Valley! I remember enjoying the catalogue as a young adult, my late Father received it and I remember reading it just for the information and history of each item they carried. I remember ordering the wooden watch for my Dad and he wore it until his passing in 2001 and I still have it today. My wish list would be the the Tree Leather wallets for gifts, the Extendable Shoehorn for my new Frye boots that are a wee bit tough to pull on, the auto needle threader may come in handy for those quick sewing jobs made much too long trying to thread the needle without glasses, and finally, the Lifetime Clothespins, which are awesome and will last a lifetime if one does not lose a few in the wind!
Well, if I have to keep on budget, then I need the set of 3 Veritas Saws and the Angle Transfer Tool for my husband. Then I’d add the Magnets, ratcheting screwdriver set and the Camera Lucida for me!
I’d pick off all of the things on Beloved’s Lee Valley Gift Register, like the mini shoulder plane and box hinges and brass screws…and…and… They know us well at Lee Valley. 🙂
I would get the squirrel resistant bird feeder for my better half. And perhaps a new kitchen aid for myself.
SOOO HARD TO CHOOSE….We always need flashlights to walk our dogs since it’s dark so early now as well, as in the morning. My kids lose them. I love the folding trays and the hand woven basket…..
Mandoline and good metal cookie press would make Christmas prep so much easier. Both for me!
$250 worth of Balsa Glider kits would make my 2 boys happy for years! Maybe something for the wife as well like the Kangaroo Pocket apron to use in the garden.
My step-son would love some of those little metal models! But I think the whole family would enjoy the time lapse camera!
What a fun catalog!
I get stuck between their kitchen and gardening sections every year – both have such great stuff! This year, the mandoline and the VegTrug Wall Hugger are vying for my attention!
Oh wow! What a great givaway!! Thanks so much!
If I were to win, I’d probably get tje wooden trucks for my 2 year old, the gorgeos wooden marble tracks for my 7 year old, and for my 14 year old who loves woodworking, I”d get the mini tools!
For myself I have been eyeing the sweet and easy snack maker!
Thanks again!
I want the mambo squirrel buster bird feeder. I think I fed an entire Costco sized bag of feed to the rodents this year!
So many great things! I know my recently-retired-and-travelling-the-world-dad would get a lot of use out of the Scrubba Wash Bag. My husband needs the folding phone holder because he charges his phone all over and the dogs are always running through his charging cord and dropping the phone from wherever its precariously perched. My stepson who loves to be the one to microwave the popcorn and watch it pop would get a kick out of the WhirleyPop popcorn popper, and I love to eat popcorn, so that’s what I would pick for myself so we could share those moments.
don’t have a the go to wish book but I do own several things from Lee Valley. I received them as gifts. I would like anything Karen Thanks
Good grief! You’ve got about a million entries here!
I love almost everything I see in the Lee Valley catalog, but I’d probably get a lot of toys! Hey, I’m never too old to play with toys!
One thing I want is the battery tester.
OOOOOOOHH, so many choices!!
Watchmaker Cases
Magnetic Scrubber
Dough Thickness Guides (ah hell, the entire Pastry Kit)
Small Double Square
That’s just for starters.
Thank you for all you do!
Honesty, I would love just about everything in this catalogue – it’s the only one I look forward to getting all year! But…the Gude knife would be absolutely awesome in my kitchen..or the Pastry Kit…or the Blunt Umbrella…such a great store. Thanks for the contest!
Well, definitely NOT those toe socks! Yikes! They look like creepy cadaver feet!
I wood get the firewood storage rack and the crokinole board!
The Lee Valley Christmas Gift Catalogue — sweet wishes under the tree for Adults
I’d definitely get the Candle-Powered LED Lantern, the Lantern 3-Stage Touch Wireless Lamp, Lifetime Clothespins, and Lightweight Binoculars— all wonderful for camping.
Thank you for the opportunity
I would purchase the set of Veritas hand saws for use in perfecting my carpentry.
Merry Christmas
Chris
Thanks Chris and good luck! ~ karen
I would love to get the Gude Chef knife. Cooking would be a pleasure, and less a frustration, with this.
Felco Pruners, Ash handled spade and fork, and the mixing bowls with the flat side for my husband…..so he can make me buttermilk pancakes for Christmas 🙂
I love Lee Valley
I would like the candle powered lantern
Garden sheers and corn popper
Thank You
Oooohh!!! What DON’T I love at Lee Valley?!! Bird feeders, funky hardware, kitchen goodies! My list is long LOL
No Christmas should pass without shopping from Lee Valley, and no April Fools without a visit to their website…. 😉
I discovered I just cannot live without:
a mini microscope
pocket chain saw
angle transfer tool – it’s just lovely
rare earth magnets set
pair of surgical brushes (so useful)
digging spade and fork set
robot arm for my library maker space
finger puppets for story time
water clock (fascinating)
oh… so hard to stop!
Thank you Karen!!
My just turned 8-year-old son discovered a great love and true passion for carpentry this summer…
…He even built (with some help from his Dad , more specifically, his power saw) his very own DIY Outdoor Furniture Set for his club house (more of a low-to-the ground Japanese-inspired style though 😉
We has thus been looking – for months no less, with no success – to find him a proper child-sized quality tool belt. To our great joy, we recently found exactly what we had been looking for on the Lee Valley website (along with adequate-sized safety goggles – that do not need to be knotted at the back – always wear your safety equipment!!!), both of which will be under the Christmas tree this year.
Needless to say, there were TONS of other things that could have been added to his surprise gift kit (including some quality basic tools that will be able to keep into the future – unfortunately not included in the Christmas catalogue this year – as well as the “Easy-to-Build Wooden Toy Kits” (he would REALLY adore those), and some basic guides such as the “10 Basic Easy-to-Build Practical Projects Plans”.
Finally, if there is, hopefully, anything left over after all this, considering that my much beloved “European Tomato Press”- bought about 12-15 years ago at Lee Valley – sadly broke on me at the end of tomato season this year (likely due to the fact that I, somewhat insanely, ended up planting a total of 118 tomato plants throughout our various backyard and communal garden plots!), I would really love to get a new one of those, for myself 🙂
Too many great things to choose from! My mom and I were there the other day and ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all the kitchen and garden gadgets!! But the vegetable keeper was definitely one of the items I would pick up with a gift card!
After having a very crooked tree last year, there is a very high chance that I’ll be getting the
Krinner Christmas Tree Stand…
Ok so i would definitely get the collapsible bird feeder, blunt umbrella metro compact;
felco # 8 pruner, stabil icers small women’s; Led infrared detection light…
Thank you Karen….
So many items I’d love to gift and use myself. I love Lee Valley Tools. Some of the gardening tools and Fiskars pruners would be high on my list, but knives, flashlights, woodworking tools, so many great things to consider. Thank you so much for the contest.
Oh my gosh, so much good stuff. I still really want the sander that isn’t in the actual catalogue, but that’s okay I’m sure. The muffin tins, the Irish grandpa night shirt, there were knives, and tools, and baking items. Seriously, all sorts of good stuff. Oh, and the garden table/bench thingamajig.
Well, I don’t know if it’s for sale but I really want that treasure chest that is on the front cover, it’s just cool looking. After that I would buy as many of the kitchen gadgets as I possibly could because you can never have too many kitchen gadgets that take up lots of space.
That catalogue is awesome… so many cool things. I love the wall hugger planter, but I also love at least a dozen other things. It would be fun to take the time to really choose a whole bunch of things.
Pocket magnifying glass immediately catches my eye, as does the universal sharpener.
ERMEHGHERD, I could get the hippest flashlight ever!
(Re: your nightgown, Karen … see p.40!)
From this catalogue I would pick the Makedo cardboard building system, the candle powered LED lantern, and the veg trug…
But I have stuff from Lee Valley I use everyday: my stainless steel compost pail, their super strong magnets, those nesting pinch and pour measuring beakers, gardener wash basket, oven gloves, my tiny copper watering can…the list could go on!
Just yesterday I was so happy – I deep watered my 8 year old apple tree, then used the Lee Valley ground anchor and arbour tape, and I straightened my tree. And the bark is not hurt and all shall be well!
Grow light $165 + Swedish Fire steel $18 + Drill guide $44.50 +Metal Model kit(Bug Collection)21.5 = 249.00
Wow. You worked that RIGHT out didn’t you, lol. Nice. ~ karen!
I would love the indoor grow light garden. I keep dreaming!
Silicone canning mat, hydraulic robot arm for my daughters, mechanical pencil, multi-tool with axe head and hammer for my son, universal sharpener for my secateurs!
I would surprise my husband, who wants to try some woodworking or gardening with our son.
_Candle powdered LED Lantern
-Luci Inflatable solar charged lanterns
-LED Infrared Direction lights for stairs & other dark places
– and so much more!
The steerable rolling seat because I’m getting old apparently.
Everything!
But I will settle for a couple of Deitz lanterns
The ice shoe gripper thingys
Folding table
Etc etc
The firewood storage rack would motivate me to organize the mess under my deck!
Grow light and spiralizer!
Being physically disabled, I love the bird feeders as I try to spend a lot of time with the birds & squirrels in my backyard. It gives me something to do and someone to talk to, although those darn squirrels just hate talking politics and religion!! Can’t understand why 🙂
Those colorful blocks for the grandkids. The stove top popcorn popper. All the gardening stuff.
I’d love to pick up some of their beautiful woodworking tools 🙂
Oh man, what fun a $250 Lee Valley shopping spree would be! Think I’ve gone over, but I’d top up on my own dime!
Kolsch Beer Glasses (so I’d have something to pour my SHED growler’s worth of beer into!)
Pocket Kite (can’t possibly have enough different kinds of kites…LOVE kits!)
Super Magnets (have a bunch of these already, but can never have enough. We grew up with a fridge my mom referred to as the ‘Rogues Gallery’!)
Candle Powered Lantern (my family has a cottage that is a real cottage…no electricity, no internet, no TV…would be a great light to do group crosswords (with drinks) to!)
Lucia Inflatable Solar Lanterns (see above)
Lifetime Clothespins (see above and above!)
Thanks Karen!
The pasta maker, Thiers bistro knife set and the notebook set with case!