More coolness from recent weeks…
DIY with the Makr app: Getting crafty in an app-happy world
We love finding gorgeous designs from indie artists, but sometimes what you really need is a way to make your very own custom design--preferably without hiring an artist or earning a degree in graphic design. The new Makr app for iOS helps you do exactly that, and...
Cookbooks and baking blends to make a gluten-free diet delicious
My experiments with gluten-free cooking and baking have taught me that it can be a seriously tricky endeavor. Not only is it hard to find great gluten-free breads and pastas, but avoiding all of the foods that surprisingly contain gluten—from soy sauce to sausage—can...
Cool hostess gifts: Handmade tea towels you’ll want to keep for yourself
You know what's awesome? When a favorite artisan or etsy shop of mine decides to brand out a little beyond their regular spate of offerings. That's exactly what happened with Foxy and Winston, whom I loved for their cool letterpress and now for their kitchen textiles,...
Don’t hate the cold. Love Winter.
The hardest person to keep warm in winter always seems to be the baby--they're just too small to layer too much, and I hate trying to wrangle them into a coat. So other than layers of baby blankets, I turn to hats, booties, and mittens. This year I'm already obsessing...
ToGoKins: Little cloth napkins with a big impact
My kids' backpacks are filled to bursting every morning as they leave for school, with books, lunch, snacks, and whatever else they can find to cram in there, it seems. Adding something else to that haul might seem ludicrous, but I love the environmental aspect of...
Minted foil pressed holiday cards: Order now at a discount, personalize later. (We know, you’re busy!)
Even though it's just the beginning of fall, before you know (and we hate to say it) the holidays will be here soon. If you're like us, that means when they crees up, you'll be doing your best to frantically knock as many items off of your holiday checklist as...
Plant Stamps: Seeded stickers that do more than ruin your car windows (says this mom)
Stickers can be the bane of a parent's existence, especially when they're plastered to the car windows or gumming up the vacuum cleaner. Ask me how I know. But a mom-and-pop company from Massachusetts caught our attention among the Martha Stewart American Made...
Banned Books Week: Rallying book lovers right down to their toes.
If you love the written word, if you're an avid supporter of your local library, or if you think Fahrenheit 451 should be required reading for anyone over the age of five, you might already know that this is the start of Banned Books Week which, honestly, it's hard to...
Brown bagging it
Even though we've entered an age of eco-friendly everything, especially when it comes to lunch bags and school supplies, I still have this nostalgic fondness for the brown paper bags of yore. So I am utterly charmed by the reusable brown paper lunch bag, from...
Little Twig and Sparrow: A beautiful new line of kids pajamas that recognizes all colors are for all kids
It's the first day of fall, and I can't believe it but we've already broken out the cool weather pajamas this past weekend for the kids. The ones they wanted to wear first? The beautifully soft, pima cotton pjs from Little Twig and Sparrow. I can't really blame them...
Where do animals go when they’re dressed and ready? Onto a clock, of course.
I'm inclined to call this find the world's coolest animal clocks. But then, I'm not sure if that refers to the coolest clocks featuring animals, or clocks featuring the coolest animals. Eh, hardly matters. Both perfectly describe the brand new zoo portrait clocks from...
Navajo-inspired accessories with a modern twist: this fall’s big trend
This fall we're loving the patterns and details in fashion inspired by iconic Navajo art and textures and those that bring to life other tribal imagery. Leather, turquoise, feathers, fringe and those bold geometric patterns are statements that can work for...
Cooking with kids: Healthy snacks that kids can help make and everyone will eat
At a recent family brunch with Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech and LiveHealth Online, an awesome new service that gives you immediate access to board-certified doctors from home, I was reminded that cooking with kids is an awesome opportunity to go beyond chocolate chip...
Our favorite Pinterest pins of the week
Obsessed with Pinterest as we are? Follow us! Then find cool pins like this every day from our site and beyond. 1. Super cute teacup craft for kids from one of our favorite craft bloggers. 2. Baby shoes to make you squee. (Well, we did.) 3. The hilarious kids'...
Rosh Hashanah food goes indie.
I'm all for starting the Jewish new year off right, and for me that means a gourmet Rosh Hashanah food taster from our favorite online indie food marketplace, MOUTH. Why stick with plain old apples and honey, when the goodies in the "High Holy Day-licious" pack (ha)...
Talk Like a Pirate Day: Avast, me hearties, it’s time for the cutest pirate treasures for kids!
Ahoy mateys, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day, one of our favorite should-be-a-real-holiday days of the year. And though my "pirate speak" is a little rusty, my ability to find some of the cutest and coolest pirate-related treasures is right on the mark. So keep reading...
10 cool DIY leaf crafts for kids that they can actually do. (No offense, Pinterest.)
As the chill starts to hit the air and the sweaters come out from the back of the closet around here, that means it's almost time for DIY leaf crafts for kids. Or hey, maybe you've already started? (Hey, Minnesota!) While there's no shortage of stunning DIY craft...
In This Book: A stunning picture book for kids and the parents who love reading to them
Just out in the US from French author Fani Marceau is a new favorite picture book that I expect will become a permanent fixture on many kids' bookshelves: In This Book. It features the kind of repetitive structure that really appeals to babies and the earliest...
The 2014 Martha Stewart American Made award finalists: A few of our favorite shops worth voting for
We are thrilled that Martha Stewart is again shining a spotlight on those gifted American makers who brings us so many gorgeous items to decorate our homes, dress our babies, and beautify our lives through the 2014 American Made awards. And now it's time for you to...
An awesome new meal planning website that personalizes your meal plans. It’s like doing it yourself, without having to do it yourself.
How many times have you heard "Just meal plan!" when you groan about the never-ending responsibility of feeding your family night after night? But time constraints, logistics, or the fact that organizing ahead isn't everyone's strong suit mean meal planning just...
BeautyDNA: Like match.com meets the best of the beauty subscription boxes
Beauty subscription boxes are definitely the new black. (Aw, remember when Birchbox was the only game in town?) But as fun as it is to receive a monthly box of mini beauty products, it's frustrating when what's inside doesn't work for me. I'm also not a huge fan of...