More coolness from recent weeks…
Design your own handbag without all that cutting and sewing business
Attention all you picky handbag ladies, daughters of picky handbag ladies, sisters or nieces of picky handbag ladies. --yeah you. You know who you are. Behold the brilliance of the design-your-own handbag line from boston Etsy seller Eclu. If you're already starting...
Hair color from a box that’s not scary or confusing
I'll be honest, I haven't used hair color out of a box since high school, which I like to refer to as my Kelly Bundy years. But I'm seriously considering now for the first time, having discovered a new line of luxury DIY hair color. Colorist Kelly Van Gogh is the mind...
Get ready to head-bop at this year’s Kindiefest
Last year, I attended Kindiefest, the coolest kids-and-family music conference and band showcase, and have been excitedly waiting for details about Kindiefest '11 ever since the calendar turned over to a new year. My daughter who came with me? Yeah,...
Do a jig over these green not-just-for St. Patrick’s Day clothes
Without fail, March 17th arrives and I start digging through my kids' dressers in the search for something, anything, green. I usually end up with one child wearing last year's soccer tee and one poor soul in a shirt that requires me telling them, If you squint,...
Gourmet organic meals for the teething set
Finding a meal that satisfies all members of my families is a mission impossible these days. Add a baby just starting solids into the mix and that spells H-E-A-D-A-C-H-E. But there's a new line of organic baby foods that just might do the trick. Sprout Organic Baby...
Personalized gifts for kids at Snapfish. Way way way beyond photo mugs.
I'm one of those diehards (or gluttons for punishment) who still orders hard copies of digital photos so that I can shove them into a photo album. I've used Snapfish for years for these prints, including last month's order of 1,370 prints. (No, that's not a typo) But,...
Free calories from Starbucks! We’ll take it.
There's a lot of talk about Starbuck's new logo launch this week, and frankly, whatever. What I like is that it gave them an excuse to offer customers their new treats to sample, totally free. Starbucks has just introduced Starbucks Petites, desserts that are the...
Hey, baby. Here’s your sign.
Well, I do believe I have just discovered the most original new baby gift on the planet. Bold proclamation, I know, but have a look at these new custom birth charts by Amy Karol --yes, she of "Bend-the-Rules Sewing and Bend-the-Rules with Fabric fame. And then try to...
Play clothes for the sand trap or the sand box
One of the many surprise discoveries I made after having a baby boy was that I'm actually pickier about boy clothes. Specifically, a lot of sports-themed duds don't pass muster, but select favorites make me swoon. But here's a new line that gets the green light from...
National Read Across America Day. Or, Oh, The Places You’ll Read!
March 2 was National Read Across America Day, which is in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, which I know because Thing 1 and Thing 2 were spotted around my town in bright blue wigs and matching t-shirts. And while I make it a point to read aloud every day--minus the blue...
Diaper bag chic, minus the diapers. Nice.
Over the course of a mama's diaper bag carrying years, there will be times she may curse that heavy bag and long for the carefree and fabulous purses of her youth. But as time goes by, that longing to be rid of the diaper bag turns into--or at least it has for me--a...
Turn those kiddos into busy bees
Spring break is on its way, and I'm making plans. But my spring break plans don't involve beaches, bikinis, or beer. Instead, I'm looking for ways to keep my kids busy. (Besides cleaning the bathroom, my standard fallback response to the cry of boredom.)If you're in...
Supporting New Orleans crafters for Mardi Gras
It's been a long time since I've munched on a beignet or window-shopped my way down Royal Street, but I have very fond memories of my last trip to the fabulous city of New Orleans and how alive it always is with music and laughter.From my home many miles away, I can't...
Sole Society: A monthly club perfect for Carrie Bradshaw and Imelda Marcos types
Imagine a club where you receive a brand new pair of shoes hand-picked just for you, every single month. And at a killer sale price too. Dream no more. The people behind the private sample sale site HauteLook just launched a site to do that very thing. Through Sole...
Calling all NYC area mamas and mamas-to-be!
Besides brownstones and indie coffee shops, Brooklyn is also known for being home to oodles and oodles of families. (As our Ed-in-Chief Liz can attest.) So it makes perfect sense that the first ever Child Grows in Brooklyn Baby Expo would take place in New York's most...
Two-step program
Okay, I'll come right out and admit it. My bathroom has one of those mass-produced step stool eyesores in it that just about every one of my friends has, too. Yes, it works. My kids can climb onto the toilet with ease, reach the faucet to wash their own hands and...
The cutest cloth nappies. (That’s uh, diapers, America.)
Okay, I may get a lot of flack for saying this, but when it comes to cloth diapering, I think the cute factor matters. Yes, I choose cloth for a number of less, um, superficial reasons--good for the environment, good for my babies' skin, and convenience. Seriously, I...
Monogrammed rain boots keep you singin’ (and stylin’) in the rain
This week we had a taste of spring - not the sunny, warm spring, but the rainy, cold spring that you know is right around the corner. And nothing cheers us up around here on a rainy day like a fun new pair of rain boots ready for puddle jumping. Ever since I got my...
The stackable storage shelves of your super-organized dreams
Stuffed animals, princesses, puzzle pieces, barrettes, stickers, play food, books...Walking into my daughter's room makes me to want to scream in a fit of frustration and horror. With all the options for toy storage out there (and we've covered quite a few), there is...
The drink of the gods, now in your coffeemaker.
Before kids, I thought coffee was a charming diversion. After kids, I'm pretty sure I drink more coffee than water, and whenever I have blood drawn, I expect it to be brown and flavored with hazelnut. Therefore, when I heard that there was a new drink on the market...
Open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk this dinosaur
Boom, boom, acka-lacka-lacka boom, baby. We're proud to show you the results of humanity's first attempt to literally Walk the Dinosaur.Bonus: This king of the terrible lizards has some sweet dance moves. The Tyrannosaurus Rex Push Toy from Arks and Animals on Etsy is...