I am a chocoholic creating chocolate themed jewellery as I explore Canadian chocolate one bar and bonbon at a time

Bonbon with cacao bean in it next to a bronze cacao bean necklace.

Recent blogs

Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers

My desire is to create beauty and joy to share with others. Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers was born. My hope is to surprise you with fun things as the year passes and to always put a smile on your face as you receive Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers.

by canadianchocoholic April 23, 2021April 23, 2021

New Adventures – The Chocolate Notebook

This year I was fortunate to be asked to join the team of The Chocolate Notebook, a notebook/calendar/agenda/journal. I had a first edition of The Chocolate Notebook and used it throughout 2020. I was surprised and excited when Anelisa Lauri and Lauren Heineck, the minds behind the creation of The Chocolate Notebook, invited me toContinue reading “New Adventures – The Chocolate Notebook”

by canadianchocoholic January 8, 2021January 9, 2021

Wreath made using Chocolate Bar Wrappers

Make this stunning wreath out of chocolate bar wrappers to add fun, whimsy, and chocolate flair to your Christmas decor. A DIY paper Christmas craft.

by canadianchocoholic December 21, 2020December 21, 2020

Canadain Chocoholic links

canadianchocoholic

🍫 Chocolate snacks and a chocolate word search,

🍫 Chocolate snacks and a chocolate word search, a perfect way to find a few moments for yourself.⁠
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👩‍🍳 The recipe for these and the chocolate themed word search were both items in July’s Digital @HappyMailforChocolateLovers.⁠
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💻🙂💌🍫 Digital Happy Mail is a great gift for a friend. At $5 a month it is a great way to surprise them with treats in their inbox twice a month. Most months I aim to create 5 digital items to share with subscribers.⁠
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🎁 I have a BONUS gift if you sign up by July 31st! Link in my bio.⁠
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PS - If you are wanting just one month of Happy Mail, digital or physical send me a DM and I can make that happen, an envelope makes a great gift! 🍫🎁⁠

#happymail #chocolategift #digitalsurprise #snailmail #specialoffer #patreoncreator #chocolateismymuse #chocoholic #happy #createjoy #ilovechocolate #monthlysurprise

👋 Hello! In case we haven't met I'm Cyndi! The

👋 Hello! In case we haven't met I'm Cyndi! The face behind Canadian Chocoholic and Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers.⁠
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🇨🇦🍫 I am the one enjoying the chocolate, tasting the chocolate, sharing about the chocolate, and following where chocolate leads me.⁠ #chocolateismymuse
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🎨 I am an artist at heart, a goldsmith by trade, and the last few years chocolate/cacao has been my muse.⁠
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🙂💌🍫 This led me to start @HappyMailforChocolateLovers earlier this year. It's a passion project/business that allows me to be creative and share my creativity with others through a monthly subscription. I really love creating all these items each month and am already working on the next couple of months.⁠
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💻 Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers has several ways to subscribe, from digital mail in your inbox to physical mail (non-chocolate chocolate goodies) in your mail box. I have so much fun creating all these great items for you each month, the surprise is part of the fun!⁠

👉 Swipe to see a few behind the scenes photos of envelopes getting out together.
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🎁🎁🎁 I'm running a special right now on Patreon, so when you join you receive a bonus letter with a little something in it in the mail, even if you join at the digital level.⁠
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$5 CDN - Digital Mail to you inbox twice a month⁠
$15 CDN - Postcard with a personal note written on it in the mail once a month⁠
$25 CDN - An 8.5 by 5.5 inch envelope full of chocolate inspired items mailed within Canada (no actual chocolate, so there is no worry of melting)⁠
$29 CDN - The same envelope as above mailed outside of Canada.⁠
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🔗Subscribe on Patreon by JULY 31st to receive this BONUS which will be mailed out on August 2nd. You can find the link in my bio.⁠
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🍫 To'ak chocolate is one of the brands I have b

🍫 To'ak chocolate is one of the brands I have been curious about for awhile, and seldom available/seen here in Canada.⁠
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💻 Luckily I found these bars online through @etatdechocmtl and ordered them late in 2020. I began the new year starting them on January first and just finished up these last pieces recently.⁠
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❤️ I love trying different harvest years of the same cacao next to each other as a way of exploring flavours.⁠
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🎁 I really enjoyed that there were 9 individual pieces wrapped up in a small elegant box that included 3 different kinds of chocolate. ⁠
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🍫 As someone who enjoys tasting chocolate side by side and comparing it I would love to see more chocolate makers doing similar styles of offerings at a more affordable price.⁠
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#explorechocolateflavour #heirloomcacao #cacao #cacaoharvest #toak @toakchocolate #bestchocolateintheworld #butisit #madeinecuador #specialtychocolate #highend #beantobar #rainharvest #mulityearharvest #flavourful #packaging #chocolatepackaging #enjoychocolate #tastejourney #chocolatejourney #minichocolate⁠
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🙂 Chances are if you follow me here chocolate m

🍫 Sirene recently released a new bar, and being

🍫 Sirene recently released a new bar, and being a fan of theirs I ordered it to try.⁠
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🍫 It’s a Pataxte 65% Dark bar. It doesn’t look it. Pataxte – Theobroma Bicolor is a ‘cousin’ to Theobroma cacao, and as you can see differs greatly in colour.⁠
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🙂 It is a different bar from what I usually eat and I am enjoying exploring its flavours. It is not the first time I have tried Theobroma Bicolor, and so far each maker whose bars I have tried are all a bit different.⁠
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❔Have you tried it before? What are you thoughts?⁠
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#chocolate #chocolatescousin #darkchocolate #theobromabicolor #theobromabicolour #exploreflavour #canadianchocolate #limitedbatch #chocolatemakesmehappy #happychemical #notwhitechocolate #madeinbc #beantobarchocolate #craftchocolate ⁠

🖊Working away on @chocolatenotebook today.⁠
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🍫📓📆 Excited for some changes and some similarities as @chocolatedriven, @laurenonthewknd and I tweak the details to bring you a fun and creative notebook.⁠
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🙂 Having fun and enjoying the process of creating something about chocolate.⁠
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#thechocolatenotebook #teamwork #womeninchocolate #chocolatenotebook #chocolatenotes #chocolatejourney #beantobarchocolate #artisanchocolate #craftchocolate #makingitbetter #cacao #chocolatebar #work #behindthescenes
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🙂💌🍫 Am I working behind the scenes on thi

🙂💌🍫 Am I working behind the scenes on this month's Happy Mail or are these the items you need for a recent DIY I shared with Patreon Subscribers?

🤔 Maybe both?

💌 I'm filling envelopes today and shipping them out to folks near and far!

🍫 Non chocolate chocolate surprises coming your way soon!

💉 I'm a bit behind on posting, shot two last week had me feeling under the weather.

📷 Swipe to see one of the places I find inspiration, a paddle on the Rideau River last week.

#happymail #snailmail #fun #surprise #chocolatesurprise #creator #creative #chocolatemail #chocolategifts #chocolatejoy #ilovechocolate #chocolate

📱 Phone Wallpaper⁠ ⁠ 💻🙂💌🍫 Digit

📱 Phone Wallpaper⁠
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💻🙂💌🍫 Digital @HappyMailforChocolateLovers can include so many different items!⁠
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🙂 I aim to mix it up and send a bit of this and a bit of that to help you celebrate chocolate in your life everyday. ⁠
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🍫 Digital Happy Mail is a fun way to celebrate chocolate everyday! For $5 CDN a month you receive 2 newsletters, on on the 15th of the month and one on the 15th, that have fun chocolatey things you can use, make, cook, do, or download.⁠
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🎁 It makes a great gift for a friend or as a treat just for you.⁠
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#HappyMailforChocolateLovers #digitaldownload #chocolatelove #instachocolate #shadesofchocolate #pileofchocolate #chocolatechocolatechocolate #celebratechocolate #chocolategiftideas #chocolatejoy #chocolatesurprise #craftchocolate #beantobarchocolate #artisanchocolate #cacao #beantobarchocolate #iloveorange⁠

💻 Computer work is never my favourite work,⁠

💻 Computer work is never my favourite work,⁠
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🧡I’d rather be:⁠
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🍫Eating chocolate⁠
🔥Making jewellery⁠
👩‍🎨Creating something with my hands⁠
🚶‍♀️Talking a walk⁠
📦Packaging up orders⁠
📷Taking photos⁠
🙂Browsing Instagram⁠
✏Designing new pieces⁠
🙂💌🍫Working on @HappyMailforChocolateLovers⁠
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🧡 But… I am a one person show(with some help from those I love when required), and being self employed means doing all the things, even the not so favourite bits. #someonesgottodoit⁠
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#smallbusiness #craftsperson #artist #goldsmith#metalsmith #certifiedchocolatetaster #consultant #chocoholic #creator #happymail #patreoncreator #selfemploved #womenownedbusiness #idoallthejobs #onewomanshow #womeninchocolate #community #supportsystem #jeweler #jeweller #jewellerymaker #createjoy #sharecacaolove #iloveorange⁠

🍫 When do you pass the point of too much?⁠
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🎁 Is wrapping a chocolate bar in paper covered in cacao pods to much???⁠
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🙂 Or is it the matching card that really crosses the too much chocolate line.⁠
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🤔 Wait, maybe there is no such thing as too much chocolate!⁠
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#chocolate #cacaopods #wrappingpaper #colouringpage #digitaldownload #coloringpage #neverenough #chocolatealways #chocoholic #art #cacaopod #createfunthings #practicalthings #gifting #chocolateismymuse

🍫 Chocolate and mushrooms are an interesting co

🍫 Chocolate and mushrooms are an interesting combination to explore.⁠
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🍄 Mushrooms bring some earthiness and umami to the chocolate.⁠
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👅Flavours that we don’t often associate with chocolate as we often think of chocolate as a sweet dessert.⁠

🙂 What flavours that others may think don't 'go' with chocolate have you tried?

#chocolate #mushrooms #mushroomchocolate #flavours #exploreflavours #madeincanada #canadianchocolate #treat #instafood #trynewthings

🙂💌🍫 Where do you find inspiration?⁠ ⁠

🍫 A new round of Tangential Tasting Twin Tuesda

🍫 A new round of Tangential Tasting Twin Tuesday has begun and I am excited for the weekly Tuesday #chocolateprompts to help me decided what to post about.

🍫 The best part of #tttt_2021 is that anyone can join in! Today's theme is International Chocolate.

🍫 So here is a stack of chocolate I tasted earlier this year with the @chocawards. Chocolate from all over North and South America, varried and unique, so many flavour to enjoy and explore.

🍫 Still a favourite photo of mine, as it really does show how every chocolate is unique even when lined up in a row.

🍫 Happy World Chocolate Day, and I do hope you join the chocolate community for #tttt_international, and every other week too! If you want to know check out the live over @cacaosana with @myic2016. They talk about it in depth. Anyone who enjoys chocolate can join in. Casual chocolate eaters, chocolate makers, chocolate lovers, chocolatiers.

🍫 Do you have a favourite origin?⁠ ⁠ 🌍 I

🍫 Do you have a favourite origin?⁠
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🌍 I have always really enjoyed a nice bar of chocolate made with cacao from Madagascar.⁠
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🍫 Proof is that this bar arrived 11 days ago and only has one piece left. (Good thing I ordered 2!)⁠
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🌎 What is single origin chocolate? This is when all the cacao from one bar is grown in the same country, oftentimes even the same farm, often from a co-op of cacao growers in an area.⁠
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❔ Why should I care where the cacao is grown? Using cacao grown in one area/country provides a unique and often fine flavoured cacao, it is often sourced through direct trade and farmers work with the suppliers or chocolate makers to find the best flavour through the process the cacao goes through at the farm/co-op. ⁠
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🍫 Larger chocolate making companies often source cheaper cacao from various farms and sources, at lower prices and then mix up all the beans and blend them to create a flavour that is consistent from year to year. This is often done by adding flavours and chemicals, making this chocolate with not so fine flavour.⁠
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🍫 In my opinion it is worth seeking out and tasting some fine flavour chocolate and tasting it to see if you can find any flavours that pop compared to a mass market chocolate bar.⁠
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#singleoriginchocolate #chocolate #madagascar #madagascarcacao #knowyourfood #instafood #instachocolate #canadianchocolate #madeinbc #beantobarchocolate #singleorigin

🙂💌🍫 Cacao Pods was the theme of June's Ha

🙂💌🍫 Cacao Pods was the theme of June's Happy Mail for Chocolate Lovers.⁠
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📄 This paper envelope/folder/wallet was created from a paper bag, a colouring page that subscribers received in June's digital Happy Mail, and a bit of glue.⁠
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📁 What's inside? Head over to @happymailforchocolatelovers to see.⁠
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✂ I love getting crafty when packaging up Happy Mail to send out, this was a fun way to #upcycle #reuse a paper bag! And put a mini 'envelope' to open into the envelopes that I sent out.
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#happymail #chocoholic #eatgoodchocolate #cacaopod #cacaopods #colouringpage #coloringpage #crafty #create #chocolateart #cacaopodlove #ilovechocolate #podlove #details

❔ Have you had a chance to watch the recipe card

❔ Have you had a chance to watch the recipe card DIY live on @chocolatenotebook that @laurenonthewknd and I did? Did you catch @chocolatedriven in the comments as we working on our recipe cards live?⁠ #teamwork
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🍪 My favourite part was drawing a quick cookie to add to the corner of the recipe card.⁠
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🍫 We used a chocolate bar wrapper to create the recipe card, and I still imagine endless possibilities of how you can make fun recipe cards for all the chocolatey recipes you can think of. ⁠
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Did you catch our post @chocolatenotebook with Lauren’s recipe? It sounds delicious, and I can’t wait to bake them, but am waiting for our current heat wave to pass.⁠
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#thechocolatenotebook #chocolatenotebook #chocolateaccessory #chocolatecalendar #chocolatenotes #chocolateagenda #chocolateart #illustrator #cacaopods #diy #chocolatenotebookdiy #craftchocolate #smallbatchchocolate #womeninchocolate #eatgoodchocolate #teamwork #smallbusiness #recipe #baking #cookies #upcycyle #create #chocolatebarwrapper #artsandcrafts

🎨 I was so excited when my order from @beampain

🎨 I was so excited when my order from @beampaints arrived this week. I have been eyeing these paints for awhile, having just really begun exploring watercolour painting earlier this year.⁠
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❤ I love the mission behind this company, how they make their paints, that they are women owned, indigenous, and that it is made from nature.⁠
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🌳 The fact that the palette is in wood just amazes me.⁠
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🧡I also topped up my order with some orange paint, because it’s been a hard time here in Canada recently, with so many bodies found at residential schools and our history coming into the spotlight, where it needs to be so that we talk, learn and heal moving forward.⁠
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🍫 I've paired this with some @finniachocolate as both the chocolate and the paint are made on Manitoulin Island.⁠
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#everychildmatters #paint #artandchocolate #supportindigenousbusiness #womenownedbusiness #handmade #watercolour #trees #beantobarchocolate #madeinontario #manitoulinisland #chocolateandart #orange ⁠

🧘 Today was all about the Zen. 🌱 I spent th

🧘 Today was all about the Zen.

🌱 I spent the day @yogaattic co-working in nature, enjoying the entire day outside with other folks in a magical space.

🍫📓 As much time as I spent eating chocolate and working on @chocolatenotebook, I also spent laying in a hammock, meditating, tree gazing, and walking amongst the trees.

🌦️ With sun to warm my skin and rain falling to create beautiful sounds it was just what I needed.

🍫 Today is #tttt_z marking the end of the alphabet for those joining in on the chocolate alphabet. So I snuck in my Z (zen), though I am also wondering if this Rough Grind bar from Hummingbird Chocolate may have Zorzal cacao in it? The packaging just says Dominican Republic cacao. @hummingbirdchocolate can you tell me more?

🙂 Tell me about a recent moment of zen you have enjoyed.

#zen #zorzal #dominicanrepubliccacao #coworking #nature #refresh #ottawa #yoga #meditation #getoutddoors #sunnyday #raintday #perfectday #workday #workoutside #momentofzen #inthetrees #tttt_2021 #chocolatecommunity #peaceful #trees #ilovetrees #flavourofwood

🍫 & 🎨 they often go together in my world.

📆 Every day in June I have created some sort of art in a mini journal. It's fun, play around, no real plan or purpose art. Different mediums, different styles, creative play. Often inspired by my day somehow.

👩‍🎨 Just because.

🥃🍫 One day I drew this iced drinking chocolate, and I keep going back to this page, debating adding colour or leaving it as is.

❔ What do you think? Black and white or add some colour? Swipe to see the photos of the drink it was based on.

#artandchocolate #drinkingchocolate #icedchocolatedrink #beantobarchocolate #darkchocolate #artiststrong #dailyart #fun #creative #chocolateismyinspiration

🙂💌🍫 I love sending mail.⁠ ⁠ ❤️ Re

🙂💌🍫 I love sending mail.⁠
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❤️ Really I do. Having lived away from 'home' for many years now, I have really gotten into sending mail.⁠
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👧👦🧒 I have several children I send mail to regularily. I send postcards to some from every place I go (there have been far fewer this past year than any other). I send Mr. Men books to a few others. I send letters to friends away, and often, just because.⁠
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💌 I am pretty sure I like sending mail as much as you like receiving it! ⁠
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🙂💌🍫 If mail is your thing, take a peek @HappyMailforChocolate Lovers. The cacao bean CHOCOLATE postcard here was one of the recent items for that. This one went to a special someone whose beans were used in the image. The envelope is an order from my shop ready to ship out, and the art postcard went off to a friend.

#happymail #chocolatemail #chocolategifts #chocolatelovers #ilovechocolate #dowhatmakesyouhappy #createjoy #spreadchocolate #sendmail #cacaobeans #artcards #shippingorders #canadianchocoholicjewellery #giftsgorchocoholics #digitalmail #chocolatejewelry #chocolateandart

🍫🍯 These lavender honey bars from @Hummingbi

🍫🍯 These lavender honey bars from @HummingbirdChocolate are such a treat. A little different, nicely balanced, these feel like an extra treat.⁠
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🍫 I have been slowly savouring these bars, enjoying them during quiet moments between work tasks.⁠
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🍫 Taking a piece out to enjoy on the deck in the sun.⁠
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🍫 Enjoying a piece as dessert after dinner.⁠
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🍫 A pick me up mid afternoon.⁠
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❔ When do you eat chocolate? Do you have a specific time of day you like it? Do you snack on chocolate all day or just once a day? I'd love to know in the comments below!⁠
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#honey #lavendar #florals #floralflavours #bees #flowers #beantobarchocolate #darkchocolate #treat #chocolatetreat #exploreflavours #unique #fun #texture #beepollen #localhoney #ontario #foodie #instachocolate #eatgoodchocolate⁠

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