More coolness from recent weeks…
Slippers for kids without the cartoon characters
With the weather getting cooler (yes, even here in Atlanta) my barefoot kiddos are sporting some pretty chilly tootsies. I perused a few stores for some kids' slipper options, only to find gigantic square cars and other impractical licensed character footwear. I...
Breaking News: Stork Craft crib recall is the largest in history
We tend not to post too many recalls here of brands we don't tend to cover because, ugh, there are a lot of recalls. But in this case, today's Stork Craft crib recall of 2.1 million units is the largest crib recall ever, so it seems to warrant a mention. Particularly...
What’s better than a scarf? A Snood.
When I was in Spain last month, I was introduced to Snoods from Kid Cashmere, these beautiful handmade cashmere sleeves from mom Jolie Sutton. Over the head they're like ear-warming hats, but down around the neck they replace scarves - maybe even better, after hearing...
Shutterfly Photo Books + Our Readers = Ooh, Creative.
Big congrats to Linda H, whose photo book of her first family vacation--to Hawaii no less--is the winner of our sponsor Shutterfly's photobook contest. Of course we feel like she already got the grand prize with a Hawaii vacation in the first place, but now she'll get...
The bling I’m coveting this holiday isn’t blingy at all
Looking around the Shokay e-shop recently, it turns out one of our favorite fair trade purveyors of luxury hand knit baby clothes are doing beautiful things with accessories now too. Kristen and I pretty much gasped simultaneously when we saw their link floral...
Fresh flower delivery for those who actually want their flowers delivered fresh
I send flowers several times a year and I've found florist shops and online flower delivery services to be very hit or miss in terms of the quality and freshness. When most of the "fresh" flowers you order are shipped in from abroad, how fresh can they be? That's why...
The inflatable toddler bed that just might get us all a better night’s sleep
Loved my ginormous collapsible playpen / portable crib when the kids were little. Loved. Though I admit to doing a happy dance when I no longer had to lug that thing around to hotels and overnights at the grandparents. But because we're still big travelers, when I...
Christian Siriano’s maternity line kind of makes me want to be pregnant
Confession: I was miserable in the last trimester of both of my pregnancies. Not because I was huge and couldn't see my feet and had a person sitting on my bladder. No, I hated that I was compelled to wear really really boring maternity clothes every single day.Times...
The best kids music of 2009 that parents will love too . . . pinkie swear
2009 may go down as a year of the sucky economy, but at least I can feel pretty happy about the state of children's music. Especially after seeing the brand spankin' new list of 2009 Fids & Kamily Music Poll Winners. I'm honored to have been one of the judges...
Momiji dolls make passing notes cuter than ever
I'm a little unbalanced when it comes to "Japanese cute" (kawaii!) like Momiji Friendship Dolls, the uber-trendy little resin dolls from London's Artforum, which are a modern and more affordable spin on the traditional Japanese wooden Kokeshi dolls. Like the Kokeshi,...
Cool Advent Calendar Ideas? Reader Q&A
I have a pretty wooden advent calendar/box with little doors that my boys use to count down the days until Christmas but I always have trouble finding cute items to put inside. Any ideas? -Kristin The advent calendar is the first thing my kids race to on December...
Two more reasons to spend the holidays in NYC. Besides the sheer awesomeness of it all.
This time of year, the entire world descends on my fair city, or seems to, judging from the midtown traffic and my inability to get anywhere near the fitting rooms at H+M at lunchtime. So I'd be remiss if I didn't point out a couple of really fantastic events to...
Eco Christmas stockings – Surely Santa would approve
In our family, Christmas stockings have always been a really important aspect of our family tradition. Even on years we skip the tree for whatever reason, those stockings just make the house feel festive and fun. So I really love seeking out terrific Christmas...
5 favorite picks for celebrating National Adoption Day
With some of our closest friends and family (and yes, even you, our fabulous readers) taking the plunge into parenthood through the amazing gift of adoption, we're always on the lookout for amazing finds as a way to celebrate their journey. So in honor of...
Hanky Panky opens and Naughty Santa is delighted
For years I was mystified by the thong, an article of clothing that felt more "medieval torture device" than comfy undergarment. But, after hearing about Hanky Panky's thongs, I gave them a try and have been a convert to their comfortable yet super-sexy lace thongs...
Eco play dough – is it worth the dough?
We've all got play dough connoisseurs for children at Cool Mom Picks, so I know that a few of the organic versions I've had a chance to try out recently have some tough standards to live up to. Past pick Eco-Dough so far is the benchmark, with great texture, vibrant...
Shutterfly Photo Books Contest – Keep those entries coming!
We've been blown away by the awesome entries to the Shutterfly contest so far. We love seeing your families and your amazing books - so keep them coming! You have until tomorrow night to share your own book and win a bunch of great prizes - seriously, did you see the...
Paper dolls that will blow you away, not the other way around
I've become a strong advocate of paper dolls since realizing that my girls can spend hours entertaining themselves with them. The only issue? That whole paper thing. Let's just say freak decapitations are are not an uncommon occurrence. So when I saw the book of...
Children’s games still made with wooden pieces and great design? It’s true.
Next week is Thanksgiving, and if you're like my family, that means lots of little kids around. The cousins are all getting to the age where they can entertain themselves (hallelujah!) which means we're stocking up on craft supplies and games. To be honest, I think of...
They’ve Got Mail
It's no secret that mail is cool. I'll bet I'm not the only person who still gets a little flutter of excitement when I come home to see envelopes poking out the top of my mailbox. In fact, I know I'm not the only person because my daughter usually races me to the...
Make your own holiday ornaments – so awesome
If you're looking to knock off a half-dozen of teacher gifts or cousin gifts or classmate gifts in one fell swoop, I love the idea of the holiday ornament kit from CMP fave, Thomas Claire. This wonderful mom-run company will hook you up with a dozen unfinished ceramic...