These edgy-cool craft kits let kids make their own handmade gifts

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY, Toys + Playthings

One of the great new trends at Toy Fair 2019 this week was the explosion of really thoughtful, creative craft kits. As you all well know, we’re big fans of craft kits as gifts for kids, especially when craft kits enable kids to make their own gifts for friends...

Attention knitters: This new yarn is transforming plastic into gorgeous sweaters and scarves

by Caroline Siegrist | DIY

We all know that knitting is a fantastic way to soothe anxiety, but this Wool and the Gang New Wave yarn delivers even more peace of mind, because it’s helping rid the oceans of discarded plastic — each ball of yarn is upcycled from three entire plastic...

The cutest Year of the Pig baby gifts for all the 2019 little piggies

by Liz Gumbinner | Baby

On Tuesday, February 5, we celebrate Chinese New Year and ring in the Year of the Pig. We’ve always loved Chinese New Year animal gifts as thoughtful baby gifts — and I’m kind of amazed realizing we’ve now come full Chinese Zodiac circle,...

Handmade baby blankets to inspire dreams. Hopefully the sleeping kind, too.

by Liz Gumbinner | Baby

When we first started this site, at the dawn of Etsy, I feel like we were sharing cute handmade baby blankets every other day. Well it’s been a while since I found a new one that caught my attention, until I discovered Elegant Infant Co. Mom-of-three Hope makes...

17 feminist gifts that honor our activist women friends after a long, hard year

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Adults, Style + Beauty

While our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide is up and running with hundreds of gift ideas, there are still a few very specific types of people on our lists that you might be shopping for. In my case, I’m thinking of all the incredible, engaged, active, activist women who...

The best teacher gift ideas from people who know: actual teachers.

by Kristen Chase | Tips + Tricks

We are always on the lookout for the best teacher gift ideas every year, and it may in fact be one of the top gift questions we get from readers every year about this time. (Then again in May.) And hey, I get it; if there are any people on my holiday shopping list...

10 creative Advent calendars for 2018 that make the Christmas countdown even more fun.

by Caroline Siegrist | DIY

We’ve had so much find finding creative 2018 Advent calendars for kids. And even if you don’t think the holiday season needs more presents and candy (agree to disagree), I think you might change your mind when you see these awesome calendars. Whether your...

Get well soon Ruth Bader Ginsburg! We need you!

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings

I just received a news alert that our strong, feisty, beloved SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fell and fractured three ribs last night. It’s happened before (she evidently “did not skip a beat” during that time, according to the court because,...

The personalized baby gifts for kids whose names will never be on a gift shop keychain

by Liz Gumbinner | Baby

For those of us who had 16 Jennifers and Michaels in every class, it’s no surprise our kids’ classe are now filled with names like Atticus, Harper, Caleb, and Arun. Even if there’s more than one Mikayla, it’s likely that one is a McKayla, one...

Our favorite indie kids’ designer has a new line that’s just…wow.

by Liz Gumbinner | Kid Style, Baby

Both Kristen and I have girls who literally grew up in Courtney Courtney dresses. Courtney Chu’s hugely popular designs (as in, people avidly refreshing her web shop to pounce on new releases the second they’re announced) are all spectacularly crafted,...