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The Monsters have arrived!

Love cute? You're going to love the Monster Factory.

Monster Factory at Vervegirl.com

by Kim Cooper

The Monsters have arrived at Chapters Indigo and if you're new to these cute little creatures, you're in for some serious fun.

The Monster Factory was started as an art project by Adam Dunn, Rhya Tamasauskas and Bliss Man in 2003.  They went from constructing their plush toy collection in their living rooms to opening their own studio and building the company into international retail markets.  Each monster has a personality  that will make you want to own the entire collection!

I was recently at a Chapter Indigo Holiday preview when I first laid eyes on the Monster Factory characters.  Immediately I fell in love and wanted more!  I was absolutely delighted to get my first Monster Factory character, Mr. Jefferson

Mr. Jefferson
About Mr. Jefferson:  Mr. Jefferson conducts himself in a gracious manner, though he has been known to lose his temper while playing board games.

My collection is definitely not going to stop there!  Colin and Todd are on my next must-have list!
Andy from the Monster Factory at Vervegirl.com        Todd from the Monster Factory at Vervegirl.com
In 2008, the Monster Factory designed a mascot for the Chupa Chups candy brand.  "Chupa Chuck" is now a TV legend in 14 countries! 



Check out more Monsters at www.monsterfactory.net and Chapters Indigo


Vervegirl's JLS Contest Winner Tells All!
Amna's dream came true when she met JLS!

He isn’t your everyday heartthrob
Great looks and charm aren’t all Ben Hollingsworth has up his sleeve. He is Hollywood’s hottest and most talented up and comer and best of all…he’s Canadian!

Plain Jane makes a statement!
Fashion expert and advice guru Louise Roe transforms plain to pizzazz!

Danny Fernandes - Special Appearance
Danny Fernandes made a special appearance at the Clinique Fresh Face event at Sears Yonge & Dundas in Toronto. Makeup, pictures and Danny, what more could you ask for?

Season 10 Degrassi Star: Raymond Ablack!
Vervegirl.com catches up with Degrassi star, Raymond Ablack.

Acceptable in the ‘80s – Part 2
More ‘80s fun and fashion!

Acceptable in the ‘80s
For kids and teens growing up in the ‘80s, the decade was a neon-hued fun-fest of catchy music, cool games and wacky ‘80s fashions.

Behind the Scenes with Tara-Jean
So You Think You Can Dance Canada's Tara-Jean was Vervegirl's cover model for the May/June issue!

Justin Bieber: The Adventures of a Superstar
It’s hard to imagine today’s musical landscape without Justin Bieber.

Tech in Fashion
Who says Technology and Fashion don't mix?

tokidoki Mania!
Would you be surprised to learn that the cute and quirky tokidoki characters weren’t created in Japan, but in Italy?

The Happy World of Kawaii - Cute Things!
Been smitten by the kawaii bug? Kawaii has taken over clothing, TV shows, even jewellery & makeup. Have no fear, it’s not a dreaded illness, just an addiction to an abundance of cuteness!

Scarlett Johansson Iron Man 2 - Part 2
Girl Next Door Turned Villian?

Scarlett Johansson Iron Man 2
Girl Next Door Turned Villain?

Nina Dobrev Pics & Facts Part 2


Nina Dobrev Pics You Can Sink Your Teeth Into!
Nina Dobrev is one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood. Want to know more about this Canadian actress taking Tinseltown by storm? Check out these fab Nina Dobrev pics & facts!

Heartland DVD
Heartland DVD's from E1 Entertainment

Heartland Cast - Graham Wardle
Vervegirl's exclusive interview with Heartland cast member Graham Wardle.

Interview With New Moon Star Cameron Bright
Our lucky Vancouver correspondent, Heidi Hofstad, got the opportunity to interview New Moon star Cameron Bright! And we scored some sweet Twilight gear for the you too! By Heidi Hofstad

On Set With Jesse Labelle
Vervegirl correspondent Natasha was on set with Jesse Labelle while shooting his new release "Lost". See it right here before it hits anywhere else!

My Interview With B-boy Legacy
You probably know Jonathan Perez (a.k.a. Legacy) from season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance, but this B-boy from Miami is about to take the blockbuster world by storm come summer.

James Maslow - The Next Big Time Crush
James Maslow has skyrocketed to the top of the 2010 crush list. His fans are instantly smitten, and it's no wonder. Deemed the next Zac Efron, James is one of the most humble and beyond-his-age, up and coming actors of today.

Party Like A Celeb...
Part of living downtown and working for a fun magazine is attending sweet partays! Last week, we got to hit up the Warner Home Video Oscar event in Toronto and truly felt like stars!

Book Review: Vinyl Princess
Sixteen year old Allie lives in a small town named Berkley and is a vinyl-junkie. Unlike many teens her age, she absolutely loves her job working at a record store named Bob and Bob Records and even considers the dust-infested store her home. By Rachel Wildman

Book Review: Tempted
“Tempted” by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is the seventh book in the “House of Night” series. If you're like me and haven’t read the series yet, the House of Night follows a group of students and their adventures in the dark world. By Rachel Wildman

New Technology For An Old Classic
I discovered a website that allows you to "Polaroid" your digital photos for free, in 3 easy steps, you can imagine my excitement!

Tangled: Book Review
“Tangled” by Carolyn Mackler melted my heart. The book is told by four different characters, all connected by a one week-long vacation to Paradise Resort. Jenny, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all at different stages in their lives, and yet I found it easy to find something that I could relate to in each of them. By Rachel Wildman

Holiday Blues
Happy Holidays Vervegirls! I bet you’re all relieved to have a break from school! At first, the winter holidays are great because you can clear your mind and catch up on sleep. But what if all your friends have went away on vacation? What if you no longer have any deadlines to worry about? By: Lauren Scott

Feature Blogger - Intern Jessica Pt.2
This is part two of our intern Jessica's So You Think You Can Dance Canada Interview. Jessica is a dancer and had her dream come true, when Vervegirl sent her on a mission to get the scoop backstage at the finale of her fave show!

DIY Gifts – Presents from Nature!
Making presents from nature can be easy and beautiful! Here is a Vervegirl approved gift idea from the book Backcountry Betty by Jennifer Worick. Lauren Scott

Guest Blogger Wednesday - Jessica
Our newest guest blogger, Vervegirl intern Jessica, got to go backstage at the So You Think You Can Dance finale to interview the top four dancers and get the inside scoop on how they are feeling now that the show is complete and what is next on their list!

Real People Is Where It's At!
Not a model, actress or fashion editor? Not a problem! The new wave in style is coming right from you! Bloggers, and stylish Joe blow's are the hottest thing since sliced bread.

Heartland Video Blog
Amber Marshall gives you the inside scoop of what's happening on the set of Heartland via video blog! This is exclusive footage shot by Amber's co-star Graham who plays heartthrob Ty so check it out!

VG Exclusive - LIGHTS!
Travelling through the music industry at LIGHTSpeed. If you haven’t heard of LIGHTS, you must be some sort of Orc from the planet Azeroth. By: Sharlotte R. Lawrence

VG Lit
The Amanda Project – Interactive mystery. Create a profile, read the book and try to figure out who Amanda really is!

What's Hot
Amazing contests, book & CD reviews.

Wednesdays with Vervegirl Unedited
Wednesday is guest blogger day! Our inaugural guest blogger is Amber Marshall, who plays Amy Fleming on CBC's Heartland. Check out exclusive shots from on set in Calgary and learn about what it really takes to be a young Canadian actress.

Wanna help change the world??
Here’s your chance to make a difference. All you need to do is take a trip to the mall. By Kelsey Malenchak

LIGHTS, Camera, Action: Vervegirl Holiday Shoot
Sometimes it really is all fun and games! Sneak peak into our holiday issue!

Brand New Eyes
Brand New Eyes Paramore is back!! By Aparna Allam

Drake Halloween Market, MJ Night and Canzine
Somewhere between Halloween parties and leftover candy-eating, we plan on staying pretty busy this weekend. For starters, there's a Michael Jackson-themed night at the Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W., with live performances, a video screening, a video installation, dancing and more.

Backstreet's Back
The Backstreet Boys are back (again), with their seventh album, entitled This Is Us. By Rachel Wildman

Fuse, Magic, Mirth & Mischief!
Nothing like a little fusion to get the weekend revved.

Zombie Walk and Chocolate Fest
First, there's a Zombie Walk around the city on October 24. Less scary, but equally tempting, is the city-wide Chocolate Fest running until October 25.

Just Eat It
The official kick-off to the holiday chow down season started with Thanksgiving, but continues with every bite this weekend.

Halloween Hunting in Kensington
Not that the thrill of the last-minute hunt isn't fun, but for once we'd like to avoid piecing together a Halloween costume at dusk on October 31 from Shoppers Drug Mart. But since inspiration hasn't actually hit yet, we're planning on doing the Kensington crawl to come up with the perfect idea.

To Markets We Go
This Thanksgiving, we're so thankful for the treats we eat and wear...oh, and all our great peeps!

Fright Night all Month Long
October might be our favourite month since it's the home of Halloween (a.k.a. the best day all year to party in a costume). And since one day of fun isn't nearly enough, we plan on celebrating all month long with anything remotely haunted, spooky or even just chocolate-y.

Screen And Be Seen
Sometimes hitting the scene is just what the doctor ordered. Pack your besties, fab shoesies, and prepare to schmoozies.

Catching up with Hedley
Catching up with Hedley By Priya Panda

Found On The Cutting Room Floor
Glide through the weekend thinking IN with the old and IN with the new. Everything is for keeps.

Let There Be Fashion
Be SO, NEXT, SEASON and air kiss the in-vogue designers of tomorrow at Vancouver Community College's (VCC) Fiat Mode XXII grad fashion show.

The Best Of... Montreal
Whether you call Montreal home or you are visiting on a mini vacay, these hot spots are a must-see!

Entertaining On A Budget
Ideas to WOW your guests and your wallet! Low on time, space and $$$? Kick off the holiday season and do fabulous for less! By Aparna Allam

Another Sleepless Night
On October 3rd Nuit Blanche will hit Toronto for an amazing dusk till dawn night filled with over 500 artists transforming the downtown core.

Calling All Ballers & Style Mavens
Whether the turf is grassy or classy, cop-a-spot at these charity-inspired events.

Fall Tradition: The Word on the Street
This time of year we always get the urge to embrace our inner bookworm. Maybe it's the cooler weather, the warmer clothes, the back-to-school vibe. Or maybe it's the fall tradition of The Word on the Street festival -- setting up shop this Sunday at Queen's Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. -- that inspires.

Queen West Art Crawl & Cirque Du Soleil: Ovo
For a little freebie entertainment, we'll check out the Queen West Art Crawl (on from Friday to Sunday). Known as the home of hipsters, musicians and artists of all kinds, the shops, galleries, restaurants, parks and studios along the strip between Bathurst and Roncessvalles will be exhibiting art by locals all weekend long.

Celebrate Back To School (or not)
You're baaaack...to school that is, so we figured carry the theme over to the weekend.

Grade 8
The Vancouver Fringe Festival may kick-off today, but we're holding out till Friday to take in Dwayne Morgan's Grade 8 (runs until September 20th). This one-man show - already a hit at the Hamilton Fringe Festival - centres around a single father raising a daughter, while confronting his own views on women.

Splashy Shopping Affair
This long weekend (yah!) buy-in and dive-in.

An Interview with 3OH!3
The creation of 3OH!3 begins in a Physics class at the University of Colorado – and the chemistry was perfect. By: Sharlotte Rosalyn Lawrence

Your Invited: GUESS by Marciano
Sometimes a gal needs to get all gussied up and work the event circuit. Dust off those party shoes.

The Honey Jam Showcase 2009
The Honey Jam Showcase 2009 “This is their time to shine.” Ebonnie Rowe

Songs and Slides
Sidewalk sales, music, rides, and even bday cake make up Kerrisdale Days starting today (through to Saturday).

Showing Rep Cinemas Some Love
Our love of vintage goes way beyond designer dresses at second-hand stores. We're also smitten with the history, architecture and plain old charm of Toronto's older independent movie theatres. So we're planning on showing them a little love before the summer's out by stopping by and enjoying a few flicks (while also soaking up some much-needed A/C -- who can blame us?).

1969... Good Year
GAP is celebrating it's 40th Anniversary ce soir (tonight) with festivities at retail spots throughout the city.

Spend on Trend
Get ready to Spend on Trend. The fashionable event showcases clothing, accessories and jewellery from independent Canadian designers.

CNE and Buddha Dog
Lots of things can signify summer: Flip flops, sleeping in, not-so-great jobs at fast food joints, natural highlights, an accidental sunburn. Two of our favourite summer institutions? The CNE and roadside hot dog stands.

Rachel McAdams in The Time Travelers Wife
Ever since we first saw Rachel McAdams playing the meanest of Mean Girls, we've a) been super-proud that she's Canadian and b) gone to see almost everything she's been in (The Notebook!, Wedding Crashers!). So we'll be checking out The Time Traveler's Wife -- a romance flick that just hit theatres last week.

Kitsfest, Bandslam or Bust
Already crowned the 3rd sexiest beach in the world by Forbes Traveler, Kits Beach will host tons of sweaty bodies this weekend.

With Friends Like These...
Waiting anxiously for season six of The Hills and the swap out of Lauren Conrad for Kristen Cavallari? Consider this your low-Cal (ifornia) appetizer.

Sky of lasers and bubbles
Think lasers, think Darth Vader - always happens. But the Laser Shows (admission $10.75) at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (1100 Chestnut St; 604-738-7827), mix beams with tunes from groups like Cold Play and Pink Floyd.

Be Still My Paper Heart
We can't be the only girl with a secret mini-crush on Brampton-native Michael Cera. (In case you've been off the continent for a few years: He was the perfect, slightly geeky boyfriend in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and the perfect, slightly geeky boyfriend in Juno.) So the fact that he plays the romantic foil to the adorably awkward Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up) in her faux documentary Paper Heart, is totally fitting.

Opa! Taste of the Danforth Street Festival
So maybe a trip to an actual Greek Island wasn't in the budget this year. Not a problem. This weekend we're counting on a day-long getaway to the next best thing: The annual Taste of the Danforth street festival (on Danforth, between Broadview and Jones).

Chick Flick a la Mode: Julie & Julia
We've already got our ticket to see Julie & Julia, opening in theaters this weekend! What's not to love about two kinda lost characters who attempt to find their way with a mix of passion, hard work, and butter?

Turn it up!
It’s time for some double duty headphones – ones that look good AND have excellent sound.

You’ll flip for it!
The new BlackBerry® Pearl Flip Smartphone has arrived!

Police, Popcorn, and Pyro
This weekend it's all about the letter P - police (and firemen - OK we stretched that), popcorn and pyro-mania.

Vervegirl's interview with Demi Lovato!
Vervegirl chatted with Demi Lovato about her new album Here We Go Again.

Vervegirl's interview with Justin Bieber
Vervegirl chatted with 15 year old Justin Bieber about finding fame and his new album.

Tune-in This Weekend
This weekend tune in to movie tapes and city scapes.

VG Exclusive: I'm With The Band
Vanessa Hudgens and Aly Michalka make like high school rocker chicks in the battle of the bands inspired summer-flick Bandslam; Vanessa, as the quirky outsider and introverted sa5m (“the 5 is silent”) and Aly as “it” girl Charlotte. But for the scoop on their off-screen school days, Vervegirl chatted with the starlets…and of course, asked about Zac (shameless, we know). Bandslam hits theatres august 14th!
by Heidi Hofstad

VG Exclusive: Stacey McKenzie Interview
Stacey Mckenzie is a Canadian-Jamaican supermodel, motivational speaker, founder of walk this way workshops, and runway coach on Canada’s next top model. Life wasn’t easy growing up as a young girl and it was even harder as she broke into the fashion industry. We learned how Stacey embraced her unique features in order to be comfortable in her skin and most importantly how to be … herself!
by Xania Khan

Who’s watching the WATCHMEN?
We are! If you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or just didn’t get a chance to catch the killer film on the silver screen, then pick up on DVD or Blu-ray, in-stores today!

Interview with Keri Hilson
She is one of the hottest ladies on the music scene and in fashion. With celebrities often claiming homage to the trendsetters of the past, Ms. Hilson does her own thing - “I am influenced by none – inspired by many.”

By Sharlotte Rosalyn Lawrence

Spice Up Your Weekend
If you're looking for a little spice, the annual Masala! Mehndi! Masti! event, taking place this weekend, is for you. For the ninth year in a row, this three-day party offers us heaps of fiery culture in the form of music, dancing, theatre, art and -- of course -- food.

Interview with Stacey Mckenzie
Vervegirl Editor, Xania Khan sits down with Stacey to chat about growing up different and her successful career.

(500) Days of Summer
A gigantic swarm of bees couldn't generate as much buzz as (500) Days of Summer, set to open in Toronto theatres this weekend. Also, the bees would be a lot less fun than we predict this romantic comedy will be, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

Justin’s World!
Justin Bieber dropped by Vervegirl to chat about his debut album My World.

Yaletown Summer Shopathon
I gotta feeling, that Friday is gonna be a good night as shopaholics converge on Yaletown for the Yaletown Summer Shopathon.

STREET WISE
This weekend in Vancouver, Vervegirl Daily is going street wise.

O Canada!
Who doesn't love a crazed attempt at a coveted spot in the Guiness Book of World Records?

Fashion Addict
Need a little style inspiration? We found three must-haves that will revive and reinvent last year’s summer gear; create new ones and ensure you rock your fashion with modelesque stature.BY AMNA KHAN

Interview with Selena Gomez
Vervegirl's very own Kim Cooper caught up with Selena to get the inside scoop on her new movie, Princess Protection Program

Princess Protection Program
Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato were in Toronto promoting Princess Protection Program. Vervegirl caught up with Demi and Selena to get the inside scoop on their new movie!

So You Think You Can...Summer Dance Camp
The top 20 dancers from So You Think You Can Dance Canada recently released their summer training tips - the theme? Don't shop shaking that money-maker, even when the sun is shining.

2009 MMVAs Celebrity Gift Lounge
Go behind the scenes at the exclusive Celebrity Gift Lounge and check out what some of the stars picked up this year.

Lady Gaga Video interviews
Paris Hilton meets Lady Gaga at the Nokia 5800 Launch.


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