Handmade play food for kids: 10 of the most adorable shops on Etsy
Kids love playing with real food in the real kitchen, which usually makes…a real mess. To cut down on some of the flour-all-over-the-floor-itis that comes with kids’ cooking, I found some of the cutest play food makers on Etsy. Their creations are so...
14 cool kids’ stocking stuffers all supporting indie shops
When we shop around for our kids’ stocking stuffers, our longtime readers know that our hearts always grow three sizes when we share handmade items or those that support indie shops and businesses. With that in mind, have we got a website for you. Our sponsor...
How to DIY some of the most popular superhero capes on Etsy
We first spotted Lovelane Designs’ amazing superhero capes on Etsy a few years ago and became instantly obsessed. In fact, we’ve featured them in more than one gift guide for kids over the years. That said, the quality and handmade design makes them...
No way: Custom plush animals that look just like your actual pet.
A few years ago my kids tried out the cool service Budsies, which turns kids’ drawings into stuffed animals. They were so excited when their creations arrived, and they still have them in their beds today. So, when we heard that Budsies was launching a new...
The cast of Hamilton gets bigger and cuddlier
Of our entire 2016 holiday gift guide, by far one of the most popular gift ideas were the genius handmade Hamilton dolls by Christina of Etsy’s Bobeena Shop. What can we say, you all have good taste in artists — and game-changing Broadway musicals. Now...
10 sweet first Easter gifts for the new baby in your life
If the new spring season also means a new baby in your family, don’t miss these 10 sweet first Easter gifts we’ve found at some of our favorite indie shops and makers this year. From keepsake ornaments to baby wraps so cute you won’t be able to...
15 of the coolest bunny gifts for all your kids’ Easter baskets
Are you ready for Easter yet? It’s coming soon. And we’re here for you! I’ve spent hours browsing my favorite indie shops for the coolest bunny gifts for Easter and I’ve found 15 of the most adorable ideas for kids’ Easter baskets. Pick...
How a rag doll is helping to spread random acts of kindness around the world.
This past holiday season, my 9-year-old asked for a boy doll. “But not a boy baby doll,” she said, “because they’re exactly the same as the girl baby dolls when you take the clothes off. They are just girl dolls! Only in blue clothes!...
Freshly Picked Marketplace: The new indie marketplace you need to bookmark for your holiday shopping
When Kristen and Liz started Cool Mom Picks, their desire was to highlight cool, indie shops that make innovative products with fresh ideas for kids and families. A decade later, that’s still our driving passion, and the chic handmade baby moccasins at Freshly...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.
Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)
We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).
We still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.
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