More coolness from recent weeks…
Stuffed toys for kids with asthma? – Reader Q&A
My twin 9-month-old daughters were just diagnosed with asthma (and) I'm having a really hard time finding hypoallergenic stuffed animals. Do you have any ideas or tips? Thanks! -Heidi As a fellow asthmatic, I totally understand the need to keep the amount of dust...
For those days that beauty’s a pain in the lip
I hate those winter days in which my lips are so chapped that wearing lipstick isn't the best idea. So when I saw Burt's Bees came out with a 100% natural tinted lip balm, I was like yep. Sign me up for some of that. [don't miss a huge limited time discount after the...
The best mugs for gift-giving
Okay, so we sometimes make fun of mugs as gifts around here. But only because when most people think of mug gifts, they think of some awful "world's greatest____" thing in comic sans that was nabbed off the bargain shelf at the last minute.The truth is, a gorgeous mug...
From glitter dreidels to cinnamon birds, why are we not surprised that Martha Stewart has you covered
I have a chronic and embarrassing condition called "failure to plan ahead", which occasionally leaves me without a hostess gift, cute wrapping paper, or party decorations.Good news! There's a cure, and it comes in book form.Martha Stewart to the rescue! Martha...
Scotch Tape gets greener and so do the holidays
Over the years, we've become more aware of eco-friendly gift wrap options from reusable gift bags, to recycled wrapping paper. But one thing I haven't thought so much about is tape. And honestly, this must be the time of of year that the folks at Scotch Tape make...
Great gifts for your kids that benefit their school, too
I admit it: I'm a fan of pretty much every one of those daily-deals sites. Hand me an exclusive membership to sweet deals on designer merch and I get a little thrill. And this new site totally supersizes that thrill in the coolest way possible, because every...
Personalized stamps for the holidays? There’s still time!
Okay, Cool Mom Picks is a safe space where I feel like I can admit this freely: I'm starting to panic a little. The gift-purchasing isn't going as planned. I keep seeing all these amazingly fabulous personalized gifts--that I should have purchased two weeks ago....
When you’re a cool kid, the sun shines on you 24 hours a day
Kid (and baby) sunglasses are usually one of those things that are terribly cute in theory but not always so great in practice. They're often slippy, stomped, and broken within, like, minutes.So these new sunglasses for kids are worth their weight in sunscreen. If...
Simple wooden toys that your kids will simply adore
I never mean to, but I occasionally have a weird mind slip and underestimate the power of simplicity. When a package arrived in the mail from Gween, bearing six pieces of pretty, shiny wood meant to put together into a windmill shape, I wasn't sure my kids would like...
A star to top the one on top of the Christmas tree
While I love the silhouette ornaments in our Holiday Gift Guide this year as a fabulous grandparent gift, here's one more idea. And if you've got up to 5 cousins (or kids) in the family, even better. The customized star ornament from CMP fave Lisa Leonard is a...
Celebrity designed holiday cards that give back. And they’re actually nice!
OK, so you've probably never wondered what a holiday card designed by Jennifer Aniston or Zoe Saldana would look like, but here's a hint: They're stylish. Stylish enough that it surprised us. And stylish enough that they are carried by paper goods powerhouse Tiny...
Some of the very best baby pajamas, now in some of the very best prints
Now that Hanna Andersson has a whole new line of their wonderful, parent-approved pajamas, in new prints from one of our favorite designers, it's like that magic that happens when two things we love come together. You know, like when when the fresh-baked cupcakes are...
POP! goes the bookend
All around the Ikea bookshelf The bibliophile chased the bookend The bookend stepped on a Kindle plug POP! goes the balloon dog! Not really, though. That's why these Balloon Dog Bookends are so special-- they can't pop. What they can do is hold up books with style and...
Beautiful holiday photo cards that are easy to make. So you might actually send them.
Last year we discovered the beautiful new holiday card company, Pinhole Press. And this year, the company has a whole new lineup of cards--so I'm glad to have discovered them myself. Let's just say making holiday cards stresses me out so much, I usually put them off...
Best train table for a toddler? Reader Q&A
My toddler LOVES anything train! Do you all have any ideas for cool train tables that my toddler would love? I wish I had done this research for my son before we got his ugly train table many years ago. Though he loves it, it's a major eyesore every time I walk into...
Life is like a box of handmade snowflake ornaments
Because I live in the desert, snowflakes are as rare as... well, snowflakes in the desert. We dream of white Christmases but they don't often happen. So snowflakes are my holiday totem, and I absolutely love how they've come together in this affordable, handmade set...
It’s time to raise the curtain on the coolest Muppets items
We headed off to see The Muppets this past weekend, both for the nostalgia and to introduce my kids to the beloved characters of my younger years. And while I believe that much of this movie would be lost on kids younger than grade school, my older kids were delighted...
You oughta be on note pads
Grandparents can be tricky to shop for at holiday time. "Don't get me a thing," they'll tell you, but truth be told, they'd rather weep for weeks over the thoughtful gift that shows up anyway. We've only got a few days left to get the delightful custom photo note pads...
5 perfect holiday dresses. For you.
We've already established our love for Zappos, which is quite clear if you take a peek at our closets. So when they asked us to some of our favorite dresses for the holidays, we knew the only problem we'd have would be culling our list down to just five. With holiday...
Buy one baby blanket and get two. The second, for a child who really needs it.
If you're considering a baby blanket as a gift for the upcoming holidays, or simply for a new baby in your life, I can't think of a more beautiful gesture than one of these Me Two You baby blankets. Because for every one you buy, one is also donated to a child who can...
The Cool Mom Tech Holiday Gift Guide – Hooray!
Over 120 holiday gifts in our own Holiday Gift Guide for the entire family just weren't enough for us, mamas, so that's why we added 100 more ideas over at our Cool Mom Tech holiday gift guide. Isn't the bow pretty? We scoured the web for the coolest geeky gifts...