EYE SAFETY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Winter has arrived and with it, the snow! It has been such a fun week watching the magic of the winter holiday season unfold in the eyes of the kids and I can't wait to head up to the local mountains for more snowy, bright fun. While it is so nice to finally see the sun, it's important to remember to keep our little ones' eyes safe when we're heading outdoors and participating in winter activities. I've partnered with Image Optometry to share some key tips to maintaining children's eye safety whether you are heading for a snowy vacation over Christmas or jetting off to Maui!

Key tips for keeping little eyes safe in the sun and snow:

• wear protective eye gear when participating in sports or outdoor activities
• tell children to never look directly at the sun
• have eyes examined regularly (Image recommends 6 months, 3 years and annually after that) to ensure any problems are picked up quickly
• set a good example through wearing your own protective eye gear
• encourage children to wash hands thoroughly before touching their eyes
• supervise children when using sharp objects, such as ski poles (to ensure injury to the eyes)

Image Optometry offers in store eye exams locally here in Vancouver or if you are looking for sunglasses for you and your little ones, you can find affordable sunglasses through 38dollarglasses.com. 

Image is offering a free pair of Vancouver Canucks hockey tickets when you book two appointments on the same date and at the same time...

Happy Holiday season friends!!

SUBSCRIPTIONS AS GIFTS {FOR THE KIDS}

When you live in Vancouver (the world's most expensive city real estate wise), parents are living in smaller and smaller spaces with their kids. You'll see many of my room designs are small spaces, given I have clients that live in condos or parts of houses with their kids. We are fortunate to live in a house right in the city, but it is still small so we have had to work at helping steer grandparents and friends to keep gifts for the kids small...or better yet, a subscription!

Subscription based gifts are one of my favourite because the gift continues long past the holidays and it makes you think of the person who gave it to you each month it arrives. Kaia and Noelle were given a magazine subscription for their last year and it has been so much fun thinking of our friends when the magazine comes through the door each month.

So...if you are looking for a gift that is a little different or something for kids who live in a small space OR you just want to make sure you are remembered each month (ha!), here are some fun subscription based gifts for the kids.

1. Little Passports: Little Passports is a service that sends a monthly box to your kids filled with items to explore the world. I wrote an entire post on this subscription service earlier in the year and to this day, I still recommend it to friends. It is the subscription that got our kids the most excited each time it arrived and they just loved learning about different parts of the world and I loved sharing stories about where we've traveled. We chose the Early Explorers box and it was perfect for our kids aged between 3-5 years. Right now they have a sale for 15% off with code JOLLY15.

2. Green Kid Crafts: A subscription of 'discovery boxes', Green Kid Crafts is designed by teachers and Moms to provide fun and learning into convenient packages. There is a big selection of boxes to choose from covering animals, crafts and science. This one is sure to be a hit and give you some time on Christmas Day to actually relax. Order by December 7th to ensure your box will arrive by Christmas!

3. The Story Box: Anyone who knows me as a Mom knows how passionate I am about reading to kids. We have more books than I should probably disclose and our kids all LOVE reading them. The Story Box subscription is another one that we've tried (and loved!) and I give it two thumbs up for a gift idea. Still only shipping to US, this one delivers monthly books to kids in a wonderful way. The books are carefully selected by a speech pathologist, who is also a Mom. It comes with a parent guide to give parents ideas while reading the books with their kids as well as a little activity to try that again ties back to the book. Use code READ for $5 off your first order. 

4. Pipsticks: What could be more fun than a delivery of stickers every month!? Starting at $9.95 a month, Pipsticks is a monthly subscription of stickers that you can have delivered anywhere in the United States (free shipping) or nearly anywhere in the world (shipping charges apply)! Super cute concept started by a sticker-obsessed Mom. Use code OMG10 for 10% off first month of any subscription.

5. Bramble Box: Bramble Boxes are themed kits that encourage kids to investigate, create, discover and imagine through science, math, art and more! Declared to provide hours of fun, the boxes provide hands-on, open-ended materials to provoke thought, discussion and inspire imagination and role play. Shipping in US is free and to Canada only $8.95!

I'd love to know what you think. Have you tried any of these? Any other key subscriptions for kids that I've missed? 

Have you visited our 'Holiday Shop' yet? Click here to go straight there!

SHOPS WE LOVE: SIMPLY MERINO KIDS PAJAMAS

My love of merino wool started years ago, when I had my first top for winter that was not only cozy, but also so very warm. I could run in it, snowboard in it, sleep in it, you name it. Cozy and warm is literally winter perfection!

Simply Merino is that exact combination in kid's pajamas! Cozy, warm, breathable, adorable and they come in the sweetest colours that will keep any mama happy. These children's clothes are not only designed right here in Vancouver, but are manufactured locally too. 

Don't know anything about merino? Well, it is literally a sort of miracle material that keeps you warm when you're cold and cool when you're warm. Amazing, right? Let me explain how this will help you mamas out there. When wearing merino wool, babies and children's body temperatures are more regulated, which in turn keeps kids happier, settles babies more quickly and can even enhance sleep. Did you hear that??!! Anything to get us a little more sleep I say! It is especially important to dress babies appropriately as they can not regulate their own body temperatures.

It is also naturally fire resistant (therefore avoiding the chemical fire retardant sprays that are used on traditional wool), hypoallergenic and sustainable, healthier for our little ones all around. 

If the overwhelming advantages of merino wool don't sway you, have a look at the lovely fit on my children. They rave about how cozy the pajamas are and I love that the cuffs on both the arms and legs are a good fit so that they will stay tucked in on the ski hill. I can't wait to use these as a base layer for the kids this winter. I also love that they have sizes all the way up to 12! Overall, these merino wool outfits from Simply Merino are a huge hit with our family and I can't recommend them enough. 

Simply Merino is offering readers 10% off their shop with promo code winterdaisy10.

*This post was created in collaboration with Simply Merino. All words, photos and opinions are my own.

25 GARLANDS FOR KIDS' ROOMS

In the same way as a necklace adds that final touch to an outfit, a garland adds that final touch to a children's room. They come in so many different styles and literally the entire spectrum of colours; there really is one for everyone. Since garlands can dress up everything from a picture on a wall to a book shelf or even a set of hooks, I thought it would be fun to share how different garlands can change the vibe of a room and 25 of my favourites from Etsy!

This simple cloud garland by The Full Nest is perfect for a neutral nursery or for a playroom where you are looking for a little pretty that could literally be used anywhere. This would be ideal for a nursery where the gender of baby isn't known and would also make the perfect gift for a mama-to-be!

Look how much impact this tissue garland by Gen Woo has!!! It is just so pretty!!! This garland not only adds a little fun in this room, it is versatile enough to use for party decor and a nice safe option for above a crib.

This Jae to the Wall yarn garland is so sweet and subtle that it could literally work anywhere! I love how the texture adds a little oomph to the wall and ties in nicely with the rug and blanket. 

In case you were wondering, Etsy literally has thousands of garlands on offer and SO many are just darling. I've rounded up my top 25 below...which is your favourite?

1./ Bead garland; 2./ Heart garland; 3./ Tassel garland; 4./ Animal garland; 5./ Sheep garland; 6./ Mountain garland; 7./ Leaf garland; 8./ Flag garland; 9./ Felt garland; 10./ Star garland; 11./ Yarn garland; 12./ Feather garland; 13./ Cloud garland; 14./ Wool heart garland; 15./ Pom pom garland; 16./ Glitter garland; 17./ Rain garland; 18./ Neutral garland; 19./ Beige star garland; 20./ Drop garland; 21./ Boxwood garland; 22./ Snow tassel garland; 23./ Flower garland; 24./ Scallop garland; 25./ Pink grey garland.

* Thank you to our friends at Jae to the Wall, Full Nest Design and Gen Woo for making this post possible.

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HOW TO GET YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS DONE EARLY!

I know, I know...a little early, right? Christmas cards in November??!! Trust me when I tell you how great it feels having these done and dusted (SO great!). I always love receiving Christmas cards from our friends and family all over the world but I am definitely terrible at getting our own Christmas cards written and sent. Big thanks to Mixbook, this year is different! It can be for you too!!!

The process was SUPER simple and therefore completely doable (even with three toddlers!). Here is how we did it: I chose a simple backdrop of a window in our house, added some gold stars from Pearl & Jane and snapped away. As you all know, once kids are involved in photos, getting the ‘perfect’ shot gets a little harder and instead of creating a stressful moment, I wanted this to be fun. We put on Christmas music, I gave the kids some little gold ornaments to decorate the tree with and also handfuls of pretend snow. They LOVED the fun and I got some cute shots!!

I then looked at all the Christmas Cards (I chose from hundreds of professionally designed card themes that you can personalize in any way you like) on the Mixbook site and selected these super pretty and festive gold foil Merry and Bright ones! Aren't they sweet? Simple and so easy to customize to fit any photo that you have taken. I love how they turned out!

As you're choosing your holiday card, there are so many other products available to peruse while you're at it. From custom calendars to canvas prints and photo books similar to the summer one I showed earlier in the year, they have you covered!

Shipping was quick and I was really happy with the thickness of the premium paper and quality of the cards. Next up is actually writing them! I recommend making a coffee (or pouring a glass of wine!) and just doing it. Such a great way to get ahead for the holiday season and make a nice big tick next to 'christmas cards' on the list.

Good luck friends!!

Mixbook is kindly offering 10 free flat cards. Use code FREE10 to redeem.

*This holiday post was created in partnership with Mixbook.