You never did get those Christmas cards sent, but so what. Our resolution is to spread cheer across the year.

Short and sweet and requiring no envelope licking, postcards are perfect. We plan on using Penguin’s set of 100 featuring book jacket designs spanning 70 years of publication.

The challenge is to update friends on life and wish them well in as few words as possible, but between Twitter and your daily dose, you’re well-versed in pithy prose.

$31 at www.penguin.ca

Between thank you cards, birth announcements, and the holidays, you might as well be running a small publishing business from your dining room.

And the golden rule of small business? Outsource!

The gals at Vancouver's Haute Note offer new photo cards for Christmas (we love this subtly retro Collage design) with your precious family snaps ($55/25 cards).  

Because Facebook can't be propped on the mantle. 

View styles and place orders at www.hautenote.ca

Just because putting pencil to paper is antiquated doesn’t mean it’s outdated, which is precisely why we fell for The New Black pencils by Fred.

Clad in jet-black from eraser top to graphite tip, the pencils are imprinted with witty one-liners in white like, “Misspelling is the New Black.”

Split the pack up and it makes the perfect present topper for friends. “140 Characters or Less is the New Black” goes to that Twitter junkie you know.

$6.99 at Homewerx, 1053 Davie St., Vancouver, 604-682-2204, www.homewerx.ca

You can’t put a price on a mother’s love, but you can show her you love her at any price point. Herewith, Vitamin Daily Vancouver's top 5 prezzies (from $25 to a splurge) to make Mom feel posh this Mother’s Day:

Customize a set of Haute Note cards with her name and she’ll feel like a queen while she keeps in touch. Set of 8, $24 at www.hautenote.com

A sculptural sterling silver pendant by Winnipeg’s Hilary Druxman signifies her uniqueness and elegance. $50 at www.hilarydruxman.com

Send her to see smoky songstress (and super mom) Diana Krall perform ballads and bossa nova standards from her new album Quiet Nights at the Orpheum on Thursday, May 14. From $69.50 at www.ticketmaster.ca

Have her smelling as young as she feels with a bottle of Ageless perfume—its notes of pink grapefruit, mango, pomegranate, jasmine and vanilla musk have been clinically-proven to make you smell eight years younger to others (but no matter what your age, the scent is delightful). $98 at The Bay, www.agelessfantasy.com

Give her a dash of timeless Italian style with a lovely, lightweight summer scarf by Faliero Sarti, fine fabric supplier to the likes of Giorgio Armani and Ann Demeulemeester. From $231 at Misch, www.misch.ca

The edicts of modern love allow for email correspondence, but sending something by post is more original by a mile.

Picking up where Western Union left off, Telegram Stop is an internet service that lets you mail an old-fashioned telegram to loved ones all over the world. Simply type in your message (complete with a “stop” in place of a period) and a few days later your recipient, whether in Calgary or Copenhagen, will receive a note the same way the Wright Brothers announced their first flight.

We think saying, “I love you and will never -(STOP)-” is just as momentous.

$4.70 at www.telegramstop.com

Social networking is hard work for toddlers these days.

But we found these clever play date cards by Felix Doolittle so your little one can make friends faster than Facebook while working the playground.

Customize the high-quality cards and choose from 100 fun images, and both of you will make a great first impression.

My place or yours?

US$30 at www.felixdoolittle.com

If we had our own genie in a bottle, he’d look like Jake Gyllenhaal and he’d grant us these three things from the new Wish.list Boutique in Kits:

1. The sporty Jamie handbag ($260) from Elise Caarels—an Aussie line you’ll only find here.
2. A glam Swarovski velvet headband ($62) by celeb favourite Michelle Roy.
3. Gorgeous scented stationery ($38) from the Soap and Paper Factory.

There are also cute gifts for baby and bridal showers, mod housewares from Torre & Tagus and brilliant body products by Whish. Guess the rest of our list will have to be left up to loved ones (hint, hint).

Wish.list Boutique, 2811 W. Broadway (at MacDonald), Vancouver, 604-676-8070, www.wishlistboutique.ca

How-to create mini notebooks from matchbooks.

Inspired by our favourite crafty couple and keepers of The Curiosity Shoppe, we took our old matchbooks collecting dust at the bottom of our drawers and turned them into mini books for making notes in.

1. Gently pull out the staple from the matchbook and remove the old insert that held the matches in place.

2. Measure the interior of the matchbook and uniformly cut small pieces of paper (about 12-15) to fit inside.

3. Measure where the bottom flap that folds up will lay against your pieces of paper and run a few at a time through an unthreaded sewing machine to create perforations (enabling you to tear out the pages).

4. Tuck your tiny stack of paper underneath the flap of your matchbook and staple them in.

Now your matchbook is a match book—use it to get numbers from those you deem a perfect match.

Desiring more than cookie-cutter vases and dime-a-dozen decor, we headed to Wanted, a new lifestyle boutique on the edge of Chinatown (look for the sign—it’s the only storefront on the entire block).

Owner Susan Schroeder fills the quaint shop with pretty little things, like indoor plants (think creeping figs, lemon button ferns and peace lilies sourced from local nurseries) and a succulent garden arranged by hand—don't miss the unique selection of bonsai trees.

Add to that clutches and coin purses made from recycled wool blankets, beautifully decorated vases that start from tin pails, charming stationery, locally-crafted soaps, teas and jewellery, and vintage flash cards, quilted blankets and quirky stuffed animals for tots.

What more could a girl want?

Wanted, 436 Columbia St., Vancouver, 604-633-0178, www.wantedshop.ca

Be both eco and chic with the new Furochic reusable gift wrap from Victoria’s lovely Jenny Wren Paperie, whose illustrator has been featured in La Perla’s Milan showroom.

Inspired by Furoshiki, the traditional Japanese wrapping cloths, the new Furochic gift sets ($12.95) include a silk-screened fabric swatch, ribbon and gift card, and an illustrated guide to wrapping techniques for wine bottles, gift bags, boxes and more.

We love the whimsical and bright Elephant Parade for kids and the pretty Cherry Blossom print.

And while you’re at it, buy a set of unique children’s invitations for your next bash.

View products and shop at www.jennywrenpaperie.com