More coolness from recent weeks…
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
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...
Free letters from Santa that are more about giving than receiving
People always say that nothing is for free, but here is something that really is: A customized letter to your child from Santa that you help create. And it will do more for other kids than your own. At Letter from Santa, add personal details like your child's name,...
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
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!
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...
The Cool Mom Tech / Best Buy Wish List – Making your electronic holiday wishes come true.
You know how much we like giving things away, right? Well here's a doozy: Starting today, our sister site Cool Mom Tech is working with Best Buy to bring you a little holiday magic. For the rest of the month, starting today, we'll be posting a series of Best Buy Wish...
Online shoppers – prepare to save a ton of money
If you work on Firefox--as about half of you do, judging from our site stats--you probably know that there are all sorts of interesting add-ons you can add to the browser to make things faster, easier, and more functional for you. I've been poking around looking at...
Little riding hoods, not so red
Since my kids are rarely get super dressed up, save a few special events over the holidays, I'm always looking for a more versatile option for my girls than a formal coat. And with the new riding hoods at House of Lux, I think I may have done just that. These lovely...
Changeable shirts for kids with changeable minds
My daughter refused to wear anything but Hello Kitty garb for 63 days straight. True story. Then, just as we were all very (very!) Hello Kitty-ed out, she decided that she would never wear the same shirt twice. She hasn't stuck to that plan (thank goodness), but...
Now in your inbox: Real live Santa.
I hear in some places, you have to book the best mall Santa in October to get a word in with the jolly guy, and he still might get your kid's name wrong leading to a public freak-out. (It's happened to us all!) But now, thanks to the wonders of technology, your inbox...
What present will make Grandma the absolute happiest?
One year, I got my mom an electronic photo album for her holiday gift. Well, that was a flop. She told me she really wanted a regular photo book of her grandkids, just like I gave her the year before. But, I like to complicate things! So, the next year, I gave her a...
Perfectly Plated
There is only one real rule this holiday season if you are bringing a hostess gift to a dinner party or a weekend get-away: the gift has to be something your harried hostess would actually enjoy. Okay, there is the secret second...
Delicious Butters and Beans
I like to give crafted baby items made of fabric that are as soft and as safe as possible. And if they look fabulous? Even better. A brand new organic baby line is in town (virtually), and the fabrics are sophisticated enough for grown ups, too. [don't miss a...
It’s in the bag.
We're now formally in the "handing-someone-a-bottle-of wine" season, and while most of us can simply stick a bow on it and pass it on, there are times when that bottle needs a little more oomph than a plain brown paper bag or a crinkled sheet of tissue paper. The Wine...
Mermaids by artists, not animation conglomerates
I know that this year I'm going to end up with a bunch of kids I've forgotten about on my holiday list, so I try to amass a repertoire of fun, not too expensive gifts to keep on standby. If they don't get given out this month, there's always birthday parties all year...
A face so cute you could eat off it
I don't usually go the disposable paper plate route, except when it comes to kids parties. But here are some paper plates so adorable they might be worth making an exception. Why? Well, they're personalized. With a photo of my smiling sweeties and a festive holiday...
Send cookies to the troops without turning on your oven
Just around this time last year, my husband was returning home from his deployment in Afghanistan and he mentioned how he and his fellow troops really did appreciate the goodies and treats folks sent their way. With that in mind, I couldn't help but pass along this...
I’m dreaming of a papery Christmas
I do the vast majority of my communicating via email but I still love sending and receiving handwritten notes, opening a really cool party invitation or getting an almost-too-nice-to-write-on notepad for my desk. (Don't worry, I'll write...
Your kid wants a puppy for Christmas? Get The Puppy Sister instead.
Those of us who grew up on author S.E. Hinton's books like The Outsiders, Tex, and Rumble Fish, might be interested to know that she's got a new book out for the next generation. Actually, a graphic novel. And if you have a middle grade reader who's reluctant to start...
Cool personalized gifts that can still make it to you by Christmas
Oh sure, I try to be all nonchalant at this time of year: Christmas cards? I'll get to them! Wrapping? I have weeks!But, don't let my cool exterior fool you. I am quaking as the clock ticks down to Christmas. But before I tackle my never-ending Christmas list, let me...