It was her very first ballet recital, and I wanted everyone we know to see her joyful smile as she hugged her first bouquet of roses. But that doesn't mean I'm going to just give away our new custom photo cards from Shutterfly. I might j…
I used to organize a girls night out with friends once a month, and it always started with one itty-bitty email to the group. Pretty soon though, that email had mushroomed into dozens of reply-to-all's, forwards, links to can we try this…
My husband has Mother's Day pretty easy these days since my kids are now old enough to make me a card all by themselves. But giving a card from a little baby-- aside from the little foot print signature that most parents are not brave en…
I think I'm in love. The object of my affection: The selection of decorative artwork embellished with handcut paper hearts from the brand new Etsy shop Paper Cut Works . Ania Alyson, Seattle artist by way of Poland, creates artsy, anatom…
I'm a huge fan of Robert Subuda and Matthew Reinhart's pop up children's books. My son's copies from the Encyclopedia Prehistorica series show the wear and tear of well-read books. So why am I not surprised that I am awestruck by their b…
We are so excited to make sure everyone hears that cardshop extraordinaire, Hello! Lucky , now makes super cool birth announcements . One of our favorite brands for hip holiday cards and stunning letterpress paperworks, it's no surprise …
The world of custom cards and invitations has really exploded. I've written about tons of great companies on Cool Mom Picks alone, so it's really exciting when one still makes me go "Oooh!" Mango Ink cards are beautifully designed and pr…
As a former buyer of books for a chain of toy stores, it's pretty much redundant for me to tell you that my children have amassed quite the library. But when you're five (or, say, twenty-nine-and-a-half years older than five), you can so…
I needed a little laugh this week. Just a wee chuckle. And so I clicked over to mom Kiki Parry's shop, Alternate Greetings , to see which witty bon mots have been popping up on her always pleasing handmade greeting cards. That's when I s…
Announcing the birth of. .. um... well...forget it. Back in 2008 I was so busy sitting on an ice pack and juggling two kids that I never sent announcements. It just seemed like either a lot of trouble or a lot of money, and I didn't dig …
Is it strange to be excited that an online correspondence site has just introduced children's invitations? Because I am. Downright giddy, in fact. I've professed my love of Paperless Post before and now that there's a whole new set of de…
I am dying over the awesomeness that is the "Say What" personalized stationery gift sets from past CMP pick, Just Jenn Designs . Just email the designer a good headshot of your child (or dog or BFF) that can be easily silhouetted, and sh…
Are you stuck in a never-ending search for Valentine's Day cards that don't embarrass you to send to anyone over the age of five? Let's just say glossy, cheap, mass produced images of kittens tangled in yarn don't always convey the messa…
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it seemed appropriate to team up with one of our first and favorite loves, Etsy , for a super cool Valentine's Day color-your-own card design contest . We're looking for fun, original cards th…
If I had to contribute one bit of mom wisdom to the new parents of the world, it would be to always have a stack of kid-friendly cards at the ready. My favorites have been the ones with space for your own children to scribble a drawing o…
Santa got some help at our house this year thanks to a bunch of super generous friends and family. So after my kids enjoy a few days in a toy-filled trance, they'll be responsible for sending out thank-you cards. With the awesome color y…
This is the first of Cool Mom Picks' four-part series on organization, sponsored by the most delightful momAgenda , makers of smart products like the the myAgenda Desktop planner , which happens to be perfect for busy people--not just mo…
Looking for a gift that's Just Right for your child's teacher? A wee gift that says "We appreciate everything you do!" without getting too personal? Lovely monogrammed notecards are always a good bet - you know, to write thank you notes …
Chasing after three young kids alone is a pretty good excuse for getting out of a lot of things, but that doesn't mean I don't feel guilty about it, in particular, my tortoise-speed ability to send any kind of snail mail note. So instead…
I always give props to greeting cards that make me laugh out loud. And I don't mean that ironic kind of laugh out loud, like the rhyming cards your great aunt sends you that have been in her dresser drawer since 1974. So when I started b…
What's that line about how a woman's work is never done? That's probably why I've always hoarded notepads and sketch books and blank journals to help keep me as organized as possible. So I love this handmade busy busy busy book filled wi…
It's starting to feel like contest judging week at Cool Mom Picks. Which is fantastic, considering how much we like giving things away to deserving people . But this time, we need your help. And you can win stuff too. One of our favorite…
Eh, I'm over the ironic birthday cards with the cartoon characters telling you how saggy your boobs are or how you'll burn down the neighborhood with all those candles. Sure they were cute when I was 22 but maybe they hit a little close …
We've been huge fans over the years of Shutterfly 's photobooks which make affordable gifts guaranteed to bring the tears (in a good way). And now they're getting the word out about the ability to turn the photobooks into make-your-own p…