Play therapy may be the buzzword of the day, but here’s a new twist: modeling clay that soothes and calms your kids with its scents.

Available for the first time in Canada, Mama K’s Aromatic Play Clay comes in scents like Lemongrass to inspire, Lavender to sooth, and Pink Geranium to balance.

And the scent will come in handy when you find it under the couch six months from now.

$25.99 for 5 tubs at www.naturalpod.com

So you’re not quite as swift with the Singer as your mom once was.

Thank goodness there’s another mother who’ll whip up a gorgeous handmade dress for your budding fashionista. With au courant details like 1920s drop waists and Liberty of London fabrics, the modern frocks by Vancouver line Mette will have her standing apart from the crowd.

And not because she’s wearing a bright orange polyester shift—that was you at age 4.

Dresses from $40, www.mette.ca

Things you dream of:
a) A week - make that two - in Cabo.
b) Getting your roots done.
c) Finishing a cup of coffee before it gets stone cold.

Perfect for Valentine's Day, this handmade "Hold Me" felt-wrapped mug ($42) will keep your cuppa warm while you wake, dress, feed, and get the brood out the door every morning.

Now you just need something like this to cover your hair.

At www.chloeinstyle.com

Our fashion resolution is to embolden our closet of basics with uncommon accoutrements and we’ve found the funkiest little web shop to get us started.

It’s called Bona Drag, after a Polari phrase popularized by Morrissey that means “nice outfit,” and it’s stocked with cool curios. We gravitated towards goods like printed wool cloaks by Lindsay Thornburg ($900), patterned knit stirrups by Mara Hoffman ($110) and unconventional chain jewellery by Bliss Lau (from $158).

There’s also an adorable pair of studded Capezio ballet slippers ($48, pictured) on the site that’s begging to be a DIY project.

www.bonadrag.com

While we still can't convince the wee ones that an RESP contribution constitutes a gift, we're always in search of presents that will foster their future.

Tired of plastic gizmos that get abandoned before Boxing Day, we turned to Canadian site www.babynaturopathics.com. With adorable modern banjos by Plan Toys (pictured, $29.50), pint-sized natural wood pianos from Germany ($159), and even a skyscraper set for the future city planner ($57), there's plenty of old-fashioned  fun to be had.

And if she grows up to be a doctor,  ($33.50) well, that RESP will sure come in handy. 

www.babynaturopathics.com

Want your little one to always carry a story in their heart?

An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton is an online children’s book with whimsical illustrations and a dreamy message. Whether they’re playing with your iPhone or poking at your laptop, this tech-friendly tome has an imaginative message.

It’s story time 2.0.

An Awesome Book, read for free or order (US$15) at www.veryawesomeworld.com

This year make your shopping list a little more magic, a little less mall.

French eshop Little Fashion Gallery has a Christmas Gallery stocked with loads of whimsical toys, books and accessories for boys and girls that are organized by age/designer/price/gender (translation: even Dad could do the shopping).

For utterly unique gifts (no Lego here), check out the Wooden Dog by Japanese neo-pop artist Yoshitomo Nara (66.05€, pictured), the minimalist Momoll Ding Archi Plexiglass House (174.75€) from Scandinavia and the ridiculously hip Dada magazines (6.27 € each)—perfect to keep your tween away from Tiger Beat

Shipping and duty calculated at checkout, www.littlefashiongallery.com

Blame the forthcoming release of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland—we’re mad about mismatched tea sets.

Rather than rob our grandmother’s china cabinet, we’re building our collection at The Cross. The Yaletown décor store, now with a new online shop, has a cross-section of cute pots, platters, cups, creamers, saucers and sugar bowls. And all kinds that are simply white, so while our set is mixed, our shades match, making the Alice in us still whimsical, but very much grown-up.

Bottom’s up and down the rabbit hole.

The Cross, 1198 Homer St., Vancouver, 604-689-2900, www.thecrossdesign.com

Finding your tot among a group of Muddy Buddy-clad kids is a test of playground patience.

Give them a stand-apart pop of colour with a bright and cheery umbrella (17.99) and waterproof raincoat ($19.99) (with fun prints like blue fairies and orange giraffes) from Organically Hatched. Consider it their puddle-jumping and mud-pie-baking uniform.

Rain, rain, no need to go away.

www.organicallyhatched.com

When life gives you lemons, buy a t-shirt.

The “C’est La Vie” tee from new Vancouver line Tres Bobo, specifically.

Made of organic, fair trade cotton, the soft, deep v-neck tee is the perfect retort to any Melrose Place-like drama that comes your way.

Spilled milk? Read my tee.

$35 at www.tresbobo.com