By Audrey van Petegem, Contributing Editor
I have three children, a boy and two girls, ranging from ages 3 to 16. Over the years, each of them has received several personalized books from friends and family. I have even bought a few myself, either online or at a kiosk at the local mall.  We have Christmas ones, birthday ones, “what I will be when I grow up” ones and so on.   They all are about the same quality and have the same pattern of inserting various names into various sentences.
Then I came across the Custom Made for Kids books. The book [...]

Sesame Street is 40 years old! It was a truly groundbreaking show when it launched in 1969. It has since become the longest-running children’s show in TV history and has a new website to match.

OMG!!! I just bought one of these Orbit Brushes. Anyone who has a little girl, even one with straight hair, knows that brushing their hair can start the morning off on the very, very, very wrong foot. Which is why you see so many little girls with birds’ nests in their hair. A bird’s nest is preferable, by far, to the tears and screaming that come from detangling hair. A thankless and time consuming job if there ever was one.
Inventor (savior!) George Stydahar  is the creator of the patent-pending OrbitBrush, a hairbrush that promises to painlessly brush out tangled hair [...]

This dreadful economy is good for our souls. Seriously. Listen. Look at what’s happening. We are now all taking a closer look at our consumption, at what is truly important to us, looking to our loved ones for comfort and reassurance… Today, we are all looking for more meaning in our lives. And that includes giving more meaningful gifts! The Succulent Wife believes that now more than ever, which is why the gift ideas mentioned in our Holiday Gift Guides – and the artists, designers, businesses and women behind them – are so fascinating… All of the items proposed here [...]

I just saw this too-cool-for-school (Short’s tagline) knit Viking Helmet and had to share. The hat, uh, helmet features the requisite horns and has detachable braids. It is hand knit from soft 100% cotton so it won’t be “scratchy” and therefore, there’s actually a chance that your child will wear it this winter. The hats are machine washable and dryable.
Short Inc. can also accommodate some custom color requests or can substitute for organic cotton in limited colors for a small additional fee. Since my teenage son peeked over my shoulder as I was writing this and saw the hat, he [...]

I have been wearing Oilily Clothing for almost ten years now. It wasn’t a new discovery even then as I remember my mom buying an ultra colorful winter coat for my younger sister years and years ago. But the store was new in Costa Mesa, CA when I rediscovered the brand. And I remember being immediately attracted to the playfulness of the colors, the patterns, the details in the design. Like the petticoat under the skirt, laced with ribbons and other tactile details and which main function – since this part of the garment is not visible – is simply [...]

The new 3D version of the photograph on your nightstand! More portable too. This is such a cute and unique gift idea for the boyfriend or girlfriend in a long-distance relationship or for the child who is prone to missing his parents or friends or for family members that live far away.
The process to get your personalized doll is really easy: Pick from 2 sizes, 8 inches ($44) or 5 inches ($48) tall, choose the outfit and upload your digital photo. You’ll get your doll(s) within 2 to 3 weeks.  See them here: www.tinypocketpeople.com.