Make it a handmade Christmas

Make it a handmade Christmas

Still looking for a few last minute gifts for the family? Clearly we're crazy, mad, marry-us-in-Vegas in love with Etsy and all the wonderful artists and crafters we've discovered there. That's why today, on Etsy's The Storque blog, we've rounded up some of...

Calendars that hang by magic, not magnets

Calendars that hang by magic, not magnets

Now that I've gone through a total kitchen renovation and upgraded to a fancy schmancy stainless steel refrigerator I've---gasp!---lost the ability to hang my beloved paper calendar with a magnet from the front. Fortunately a cool paper-goods company has...

The joy of women cooking

The joy of women cooking

We often think of the art of food, and the art of cooking, but we don't necessarily think about the artfulness of the cooks themselves, and their own environments. Now a new quarterly magazine from the minds behind art magazine Where Women Create celebrates the joy of...

Color like an artist. Romero Britto, to be specific.

Color like an artist. Romero Britto, to be specific.

My daughter's first finger paintings brought tears to my eyes. "My God, she's talented!" I told my husband. I knew I was being that stereotypical overly proud parent, but her use of color was so unexpected. Really!There is something so fresh and spontaneous about...

A smart gift for a style-conscious (and maybe picky) guy

A smart gift for a style-conscious (and maybe picky) guy

It's official. Despite best efforts, I'm in full-blown gift panic mode... but only for the men in my life. My husband, dad, and brother are all tough cookies when it comes to presents. They all have something in common, though: the love of a good dress shirt.But...

A gift for kids that doesn’t stink.

A gift for kids that doesn’t stink.

When I was little, getting useful gifts was always a huge bummer. Then again, my Great Aunt Hilda usually went for the half-price, open-package soap-and-undies combo pack at KMart. True story: One time, they even had World's Best Lover printed across the tush. I was...

Kids bookmarks that get them drawing as well as reading

Kids bookmarks that get them drawing as well as reading

I'm still poking around etsy these days for some last-minute stocking stuffers, although in my world, 9 days til Christmas is far from last-minute. CMP fave Dana Marie Hosler of GreenStarStudio always has something nifty and new, and today is no exception. Especially...

Elf hats! Elf hats!

Elf hats! Elf hats!

I'm a little picky when it comes to winter hats on kids--although you'd hardly know it looking at our ridiculous hat collection. I like hats with ears but not horns. I like skull caps on girls but in more boyish colors. And I always like elf hats. The wool jersey elf...