If you haven't been in one of our stores lately, you're in for a treat.  We're beautifully decked out for the holiday season.  And now we'd like to invite you to join us for a special shopping evening.

Dig This at Market Square is having its second annual Open House in conjunction with 3 other great local businesses: Muffet & Louisa, Bespoke, and New England Square.

We call this event “Ho Ho Home” because between the 4 of us, we have everything you need to make your home warm and inviting for the Holiday Season.

Everything in the store is 10% off that evening, plus we will have some terrific in-store specials available that night only. We are featuring the wonderful glass hummingbird feeders at $9.99 (regular price is $16) you see pictured below.

Every purchase over $50 will come with a free bag of spring bulbs which you can plant or give away as a gift.

Sample great nibbles, provided by Feys & Hobbs.  There will be a selection of their yummy products to take home or give as gifts - items like chocolate espresso nuts, drunken olives, green tomato mincemeat!

You can also enter to win a $1000 shopping spree amongst the 4 sponsoring stores.

Last year, we had so much fun at this event – you won’t want to miss it!

Elizabeth & the Dig This Market Square Staff.
 

Dig This Sidney is also joining with Muffet & Louisa to put on a great evening shopping event the following evening in Sidney.  Between us, we have everything you need to make your home beautiful this holiday season.

Save 10% on all your purchases, and even more on our in-store specials available that evening only. To help you make your home sparkle for the holiday season, all our table linens will be 20% off that evening.  Plus, these glass hummingbird feeders are on sale for $9.99.  We have wonderful gifts for everyone - not just gardeners.  Come and see our delightfully different and surprising affordable gifts.

If you see something you hope someone will give to you, put it in our "Wish Book".  We'll be sure your personal Santa gets the message.

Of course, we'll have refreshments while you shop and don't forget to enter our contest to win a $250 Gift Certificate.

Ann Watley and Paulette Brown, Dig This Sidney

As with our other Open Houses, everything in the store will be 10% off that night, and there will be in-store specials that will be available that evening only.

Enter to win a $250 gift certificate and enjoy some great refreshments.
 

It’s not too late to plant fragrant paperwhites and gorgeous amaryllis to bloom for Christmas.

Paperwhites take about 4 weeks to bloom, and many varieties of Amaryllis will bloom within 4 to 6 weeks.

You can create stunning Paperwhite displays in glass containers by using rocks, pebbles, glass gems, and other decorative media. Layered in a glass container, these anchor the roots, but besides being useful, they can also be a gorgeous display of layered colour and texture.

One of my favourite arrangements is done by putting down a layer of large white stones on the bottom of the vase, topped by a finer crushed gravel in a complementary shade. Top with the Paperwhite bulbs and nestle green moss around the bulbs to create an earthy effect.

If you want more sparkle, sprinkle some crushed clear “glass” on top, or add some mini Christmas balls. We have small bags of all these items for sale.

Paperwhites are especially effective grown deep in tall glass containers or vases. The sides of the vase hold up the Paperwhite stems which tend to get a bit floppy as they mature.

With Paperwhites and a good glass container, you only need add imagination.

Amaryllis, on the other hand, does best in soil. You can grow them in glass containers and water, but the bulb will be spent after it flowers. Grown in soil, you can bring them back again next year. (For instructions, see our October Newsletter at www.digthis.com - go to the Newsletter Archive.

With Amaryllis, the trick is to find a pot that suits the size of the grown flower, but is not too wide or deep for the bulb. Amaryllis like a pot that is not much bigger in diameter than the bulb itself. I find a little heat helps them to get going, so place them in a sunny window, or on top of your water heater, or even near a fireplace to get the roots started.

Elizabeth Cull, Franchise President
 

If you haven’t discovered our exquisite jeweled ornaments, you’ll want to very soon before they are all gone.

In the shape of hummingbirds, dragonflies, bubble bees and song birds – these little filigreed treasures are a great gift and a great decoration for your tree.

If you missed our Broadmead Open House last week or can’t make this week’s Open Houses, there’s another one at Dig This Oak Bay on December 4th – the same night as Oak Bay’s Art Gallery Walk.