
“There’s nothing romantic about depression” | Spawned Ep 268
This week, I was really happy to get to sit down and chat with Amy Koppelman, director, writer, and producer of the recent film A Mouthful of Air starring Amanda Seyfried and Finn Wittrock. It's based on on Amy's critically acclaimed novel inspired by her own...

Power outages preparedness checklist: 35 tips for how to prepare for storms, and what to do if you do lose power.
Snow days can be hard enough on parents, but if that snow day, storm, or other weather event also brings a power outage, like so many of us have experienced this past year? It's an even trickier situation. So in an effort to keep my home running as smoothly as...

14 practical Valentine’s gifts for her that aren’t flowers, but they’re not a case of motor oil, either
When looking around for practical Valentine's Day gifts for her -- well, we weren't super impressed. Most women don't want a vacuum (here honey, clean up after me!) or a gift card for an oil change (seriously, we were pitched that once) and yet maybe you're shopping...

Sweet new baby gifts for The Year of the Tiger (it’s the cream of the fight…)
I am not Chinese by heritage, but I still love baby gifts that reflects the Chinese zodiac. So with the Chinese New Year starting The Year of the Tiger, I've put together some of my favorite tiger-themed baby gifts, which are always a creative way to celebrate those...

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with these delicious chocolates from L.A. Burdick
Happy New Year! The Year of the Tiger begins tomorrow and, just in time, we've found L.A. Burdick's box of handcrafted chocolate tigers created to kick off the start of the Chinese New Year. Way more scrumptious than fierce, I think they'd make a great gift for anyone...

10 of the best ideas for organizing and displaying kids’ artwork, from DIY tricks to clutter-saving services
Just when I think I have my kids' artwork organized, more of it appears. So I'm perpetually on the lookout for creative solutions to display my kids' artwork in a way that makes those watercolor rainbows and handprint turkeys still look polished and streamlined. Or at...

How to be an adult, with author Julie Lythcott-Haims | Spawned Episode 267
We've probably all used the phrase "adulting is hard." Probably an awful lot over the last two years. And that's because being an adult is pretty darn hard. Way to state the obvious, Kristen. Okay, so yeah, it is obvious, but what isn't (and wasn't) too many of us,...

Spring 2022 nail trends that are cool, not kitschy
I am so excited to share some of the spring 2022 nail trends I'm loving. Because when I decided to share my favorite winter nail trends a few months ago, I'll be honest -- had no idea it would be such a huge hit! Maybe because of all the things that are seemingly out...

The products that helped me battle the dreaded dry hands of winter. (And I won!)
Ahhhh winter. You get your sweaters, and your nog, and your glisten of frost on everything. Winter is beautiful. Winter is also the arch nemesis of my hands. My first indication that winter is HERE is that my hands become so dry, the mere act of clapping is a...

Tired of looking at the same four walls? Here are 7 easy and affordable ways to update the family room
I've been searching for easy ways to update the family room in my house lately. And I know it's not just me! With so many of us working remotely and spending more time in our homes than we would haveve in pre-pandemic days, it's no wonder that we're getting a little...