More coolness from recent weeks…
The Valentine’s gift that made me go Wow.
I love the Valentine's cards my husband picks out for me each year. Truly, I save each and every one of them. But wouldn't it be amazing if you got a personalized piece of hand-painted art to hang on your wall and enjoy it year after year? If you said yes, well then...
Nickelodeon Squeezers: Partly we’re saying “yay!” Partly we’re saying “oy.”
Today, my daughter's best friend Dora the Explorer gave her a delicious, healthy snack. Yup. I played that card. And I am not nearly ashamed as I probably should be, considering the snack was 100% apple sauce with no added sugar. Nickelodeon Squeezers from Nature's...
Valentine’s Day shirts even a boy (and his mama) could love
Even with two older sisters who keep him well in touch with his feminine side, it didn't take long before my son had decided pink was a "girl" color and that his sweet puppy tees should be traded for race cars and dinosaurs. But he still loves Valentine's Day for all...
Temporary tattoos get artsy
Great art is beautiful, interesting, well-crafted, and has staying power.Surprise! That also describes these cool new temporary tattoos by one of CMP's favorite designers. Our old pals at Wee Gallery have found a fantastic new way to pepper the world with their...
West Elm jumps on the indie artist train.
I love having a West Elm right in my hood. It's always a fun source of home inspiration for me, and I like quite a lot of their accessories--even if some of their wood furniture gets beat up in like two seconds if you have kids. What I was particularly excited to see...
Love, cupcakes, and other indoor sports.
For some reason my daughter has been obsessed with the idea of make your own cupcakes lately. Oh wait...I remember why. Because cupcakes are good. Or at least they're supposed to be. We've tried a few DIY kits recently have been hardly worth the calories. (HFCS...
Paper dolls meet building blocks
My go-to standard baby shower gift was, for a long time, either a baby bathtub, or infant footie sleepers. Useful, and admittedly a little uninspired. These days, I want to give something unusual, beautiful and creative: both moms and babies deserve them. My latest...
Great boy stuff for Valentine’s Day? Reader Q+A
I always find so much cute stuff for girls, especially for Valentine's Day, but I don't know what to give the boys. -Shannon As a mama of a son, I am definitely on the lookout for great boys' items for Valentine's Day. And while you had a great idea for a handmade...
That’s right honey, you can’t win
While I've never taken my husband to task for only buying three lemons instead of the dozen I requested ("Who asks for a dozen lemons anyway?"), I have to confess that I avoid sending him to the grocery store because...well, whatever he gets is usually wrong. So when...
Valentine’s table for two. Hold the whining.
During these days of expensive childcare and daytime exhaustion, I'd imagine that for many of us, a romantic Valentine's Date means putting the kids to bed and praying they stay there while you sit down to a romantic dinner in the dining room. Fondue perhaps? I...
The guy who told us to “Whip It Good” is all about doing good
Oh the red, plastic upside down flower-pot-ish hats, and the throbbing techno beat -- Man did I love Devo back in the day. Frontman Mark Mothersbaugh has always been a visionary and an artist (maybe your kids know him from Yo Gabba Gabba?) but he also happens to be...
NOM NOM NOM your kid’s nightmares
Four is a magical age. And for us, it includes a daily account of closet gremlins and nightmares that involve an epic battle between Scooby Doo and armored Transformer/My Little Pony hybrids. I love the imagination. The fear of bedtime, not so much.That's why I love...
Baby proofing with a new kind of outlet cover
I know all about baby proofing, considering my toddler is absolutely fascinated by electrical outlets. For some reason, the combination of the right height plus holes you can poke your fingers into equals a good time. Whee!Luckily, there's a new outlet cover in town...
Modern kids furniture for your modern kids
Sweet, pastel-colored, vintage-inspired furnishings all have their (very well-deserved!) places. But lately, it's the modern stuff that really makes me go, awww. And that's exactly what I said when I saw this gorgeous furniture. Pretty sure you will, too. Weego Baby...
A pretty reusable bag for all your gross, smelly, leaky stuff
I have a drawer in the kitchen full of plastic bags. As much as I'd like to consider myself a green(ish) mom, it's the one thing I can't say no to at the grocery store. The reason? I use the bags to transport leaky sippy cups and discard stinky diapers while on the...
Enter the 2011 Handmade Olympics. We give it a 10!
We've been long time supporters of handmade here at Cool Mom Picks. In fact, it's our original reason for being. And so when Kristal from Rik Rak Studio (love her stuff!) asked Liz and me to judge her amazing Handmade Olympics, we said "Absolutely!" without a moment...
Maternity style tips from author and maternity stylista Amy Tara Koch
I only had one pregnancy that required winter clothes and boy, was that a challenge. Pants never seemed to fit me and sweaters always made me hot, so I found myself wearing the same few outfits over and over again. Too bad I didn't have author and style expert Amy...
The green laundry detergent that impresses the you-know-what out of me.
When one scoop of detergent can take a toddler diaper Houdini's bedspread from poop-ravaged nightmare to deliciously clean in just one wash, I have trouble holding back my enthusiasm.Still, it takes more than that to impress me, and I've found a brand new laundry...
Stroller blanket smackdown: The best of the cold weather best
Not sure how everyone else is feeling about their winter so far, but in my neck of the woods, the weather gods have not been kind. We've had snow, sleet, frigid temps...we're only missing hail storms. Ever since the first below 40 degree day hit, I've been hot on the...
Dress up clothing so gorgeous, it will make you twirl too.
These days, my girls would rather get into dress up clothing than play nearly anything else. I'm not complaining; I love all the creativity and imagination it inspires, when they piece together the mismatched accessories, tutus, hats and capes in their room and turn...
Now your daughter can wear her heart in her hair
Most girls--my own daughter included--have lots of these little metal snap barrettes lying around and, if you happen to be a crafty type, you probably also have some pretty wool felt at home, too. If so, in just about 15 minutes you can make a couple of gorgeous...