Serve up some very happy holidays with personalized plates

by Stephanie Mayers | Kitchen + Dining

I adore everything about the holidays, especially decorating. Growing up in my family, prepping the house pretty much stopped at setting out the menorah. Now that I’m in charge, I love decking out our home with a cozy all-holidays-welcome...

Pretty bowls make great hostess gifts. Especially when they’re on sale.

by Liz Gumbinner | Kitchen + Dining

With Halloween an entire day behind us, our thoughts at Cool Mom Picks already turn to the best holiday gifts. (We can’t help it!) So when I saw these beautiful little Japanese bowls on sale, I thought, ooh…hostess gift. The modernist Japanese bowls at...

New! The perfect party decor kits from Minted.com. Now your parties can look like Those Parties without much effort at all.

by Cool Mom Team | Party Ideas

We’ve loved the beautiful cards and invitations from Minted.com ever since we discovered them on day one, so it makes perfect, brilliant sense that they’d evolve from cards and invitations, and launch a gorgeous new Party Decor line. Hooray! Plus, like all...

5 easy Fourth of July recipes to celebrate your independence from the kitchen

by Stacie Billis | Food + Recipes

The best party recipes for occasions like the Fourth of July, are simple party recipes that allow you enjoy the celebration too. These festive treats are just that easy. You can even have little ones help with the prep work, while older kids can make some of these...

Fourth of July party printables and decor to make your cookout a standout

by Roxanna | Party Ideas

I love Fourth of July parties, but not all Fourth of July party decor. Beer, hot dogs, fireworks and vintage Americana are good. Red white and blue painted garden gnomes, not so much. I’ve tracked down these cool, classy options for festive decorating including...

6 easy holiday treats, no culinary degree required.

by Molly | Food + Recipes

As much as I like to tap into my inner Martha Stewart during the holiday season, this year there just isn’t enough time to crochet snowflake ornaments, whip up petit fours wrapped in fondant, and glue-gun wreaths made of pinecones and milkweed. (Okay, I’ve...

A step up from Hanukkah gelt and candy canes

by Cool Mom Team | DIY

Not to be dissing those chalk gold-wrapped coins with an actual chocolate content of about .03%, but if you’re going to treat your dreidel winners with sweets this Hanukkah, we’ve got a better idea. The Hanukkah chocolate disks from CMP fave Rogue...

Free holiday invites and cards from Paperless post — last minute gets more stylish

by Roxanna | Cards + Stationery

I always feel more social during the holidays. Maybe it’s the cooler weather and festive music that inspires me to finally bring out the welcome mat and throw a party. (Fine, the fact that the house is finally decorated doesn’t hurt.) But custom paper...

Honey for the hostess

by Cool Mom Team | Food + Recipes

While Christmas is drawing ever so close, I know the hostess invitations and house visits will extend well into the new year. I can’t stop browsing hostess gifts, looking for something more interesting than candles or flower bouquets. I think these handmade...