Description: Still on the hunt for the perfect housewarming gift for my friends back in Ottawa, I stopped in at
Mysteria. As the name implies, there is something different about this gift store. Located in an old house on 13th Avenue in the Cathedral Village area, the atmosphere of this store is highly relaxing and earthy.
Mysteria features natural products made by local artisans. There is a wide variety of homemade soap, candles, and other such luxurious personal treats. Pick up a set of handmade beeswax tapers from their display – a large tree branch! The store also carries home items like candleholders, glassware, pottery, and original artwork. Mysteria carries a line of clean-cut glassware which can also be found at the MacKenzie Art Gallery Gift Shop, but carries some smaller pieces and for less than you would pay at the upscale gallery. Mysteria also handles a large selection of jewelry, both amber and semi-precious stones.
One of the more unique items which the store carries is tile versions of famous paintings. My sister has purchased two, a van Gogh and a Klimt. All of these tiles are a bit larger than an 8x10 picture and feature the same scene or subject as the painting as well as the same colours. The finish, however, is that of a glazed tile. It is a unique way to incorporate the art of some of the masters into your home.
An art gallery is located upstairs. I didn’t mind the brightly coloured paintings but some of the furniture pieces puzzled me, a set of 3 coffee tables for over $500 for example. These coffee tables were made from an old house door, which hadn’t been treated or refurbished at all – still as weathered as the day it was taken off its hinges. The door was cut into three pieces and bordered by what looked like very plain wooden baseboards. And the price!!! Makes me want to trek out to the farm and pick something up to convert in order to help pay for my university tuition bills! Luckily the giftware downstairs is much more reasonably priced!
I finally settled on a set of 4 bamboo/lilac fabric woven placemats. The lilac colour goes perfectly with the paint my friends chose. And for only $16, I just couldn’t resist.
Mysteria is open Monday to Saturday, 12:00pm to 5:30pm. The staff is pleasant and like most Saskatchewan people will engage you in a conversation. I’m sure you will find it difficult to resist picking up something at this great store.
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