Nigella Lawson may be able to bake brownies in a ballgown, but we’re far too clumsy to even try.

In fact, the domestic goddess rarely even wears a pinny – a staple in our kitchen. We like the cute options ($39) at Domistyle. They come in various colours and prints and many are hand-embroidered with flirty messages like "Caution: Hot Dish."

Now we need one for the beau that says "Kitchen Nightmare."

www.domistylegifts.com

A big part of shopping for vintage is the thrill of the hunt. Call us lazy, but these days, we’d rather leave the scavenging to the pros.

Enter Shrimpton Couture, an online boudoir of clean, re-conditioned and carefully curated vintage.

From Biba to Balmain to the amazing Geoffrey Beene, the site is brimming with an ever-rotating roster of big name designers—and big name shoppers like Courtney Love and Rachel Zoe. Our wish list is as long as the Nile, but there’s a red Chanel Jacket ($1,625) that belongs on our back.

Find bags, belts, scarves and baubles – such as the eclectic pieces from London based textile designer http://www.anitaquansah.com/ Anita Quansah.

Talk about thrill of the find.

www.shrimptoncouture.com
Read our interview with Shrimpton Couture founder, Cherie Federau, on our forum.

Apologies are so much sweeter when wrapped with a bow on top.

With its unique selection of handmade, one-of-a-kind wares, So Chic Gifts is the place to shop for the perfect grovel gift.

From plush, personalized pillows ($78) to customizable letter pillows made from recycled suit jackets ($75) to retro-fabulous Pac Mac-themed iPhone covers ($50), we dare you not to go ga-ga for the gifts on this site.

www.sochicgifts.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

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

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

Little ones dragging their feet? Protect their toes from the cold and their little legs from road rash with the new sock/legwarmer/slipper combo from Canada’s Beba Bean.

Called Sweater Socx, they’re perfect for both newborns and toddlers with their tie tops and non-skid soles. We love the rugby-striped pattern over jeans, or the frilly ballet-style under a puffy skirt.

See, fall’s not so bad, after all.

US$18.99 at www.bebabean.com