Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
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More coolness from recent weeks…
Eco dolls, not eek-oh dolls
Ever since coming across something called an "eco doll" that was made of pvc and served up in plastic packaging, I've been pretty skeptical of the eco label on toys. Sometimes it fits and sometimes...well, at least the intent is good. But Sue Lappan of EcoLeeko...
To me, every day is Halloween
My kids love to admire the aisles of Halloween-themed kids' clothing almost as much as I love to admire the aisles of Halloween-themed candy. But I can't bring myself to buy any those jack-o-lantern shirts and "happy halloween" bibs because hello, the kids can wear...
Schoolwork and work work get a lift with International Arrivals
If you find manilla, vanilla, add International Arrivals to your bookmarks and check out their modern assortment of file folders, journals, photo albums, and organizational accessories that make a walk through the aisles of Staples seem like a trip back in time. I...
BornFree pacifiers go BPA free. Which is a pretty good trait in a pacifier if you ask us.
BornFree is already the go-to source for plenty of moms looking for products safe enough to go into baby's mouth. They've got glass baby bottles, bottles made of BPA-free plastic, and cups free of harmful chemicals -- and yesterday they've just unveiled their Day and...
The handmade dolls you’ll want to sleep with yourself
For the most part, I don't spontaneously exclaim awwwww and get all teary when I get a new baby toy for review, but that's totally what happened when I peeled open the sweet little canvas bag to reveal the plush baby doll from Bumblebird. Designer Heather Renz makes...
The elephant in the room that everyone actually will talk about
I always admire parents who aren't afraid to go a little dark with their nursery decor. And by dark I don't mean Gashlycrumb Tinies prints up on the wall, but something besides the pastel pinks and blues and yellows that the entire industry seems determined to...
Apparently dragons are going green. Or…greener?
Last year, I was instantly smitten with the bright, super cool graphic organic shirts from mom-owned Fierce Hugs, so when I found out they added a new line from Dutch artist Dagmar Meinders, I was willing to bet money on their awesomeness.Too...
Posies takes cleaning the house partly out of the “things that suck” column
I've never equated cleaning my house with achieving zen, but while using Posies Cleaning Products, I can at least take some deep calming breaths while I mutter and scrub. Posies were created by self-proclaimed clean freak and lover of aromatherapy, Timara...
Sillydot art – more dreamy than silly
The artwork from San Francisco (by way of Brazil) artist Vera Costa of Sillydot is pretty much made for Nursery Decorating 101 - ten sets of three sweet, happy designs, each of which look great mixed, matched, or anything in between. They're also made for different...
Personalized, adorable, affordable. What more do you want in a baby gift?
Personalized items make spectacular baby gifts because it shows you've gone an extra mile beyond the burp cloth sets, beyond the registry essentials. The one catch is, the gift can't be returned. The pressure is on!I can't imagine a single mama who wouldn't love...
You’re never too little to be a bibliophile. Only to know how to spell it.
Like tons of practical moms like me, my favorite gift to give or to get is a book. And if you want to get fancy about it, check out Bookworm Baskets, where the great book is just the beginning of a fantastic gift.It starts with a fabulous read like The Giving Tree,...
When labeling kids is a good thing
We've certainly seen our fair share of personalized gifts here at Cool Mom Picks, but we've yet to run across a service such as the one offered by Sweetwater Street. Design savvy owner Lisa Burnett will transform one of her modern designs (or one of your very own)...
Grandpa sweaters from Georgie World. Why wait til you’re an actual grandpa?
I'm not so inclined to follow the trends when it comes to clothing my son, unless that trend happens to be self-washing clothes that withstand blueberry stains. But if the trend is cute and practical, say cardigans for fall, then I'm all over it. Which is why I'm...
Don’t know much about teratology, but Belli does
I'm conspicuously absent from photos taken after the birth of each of my babies. I know a lot of you mamas knows what I'm talking about. But it wasn't even my complexion and weight that were making me camera-shy; it was my lady parts--my tender c-section incision and...
Candles Worthy of that Special Birthday Cake
I tend to spend so much time worrying about the gory details of my kids' parties that the birthday candles are the last thing that I think about. In fact, one year, I almost forgot them. Bad bad mommy.So, if you've got a kiddo with a birthday on the horizon, snag one...
Isabella Oliver – Taking the Maternity Wrap Dress to a Whole New Level
If there's one essential in any maternity wardrobe, I'd have to go with a wrap dress. It's generally flattering to all body shapes, regardless of which direction your belly and butt tends to spread, although if not done well, it can definitely look heavy with all...
Tweed: In. Cool.
CMP fave indie handbag designer Crystalyn Kae has taken the plunge into tweed and I'm not complaining a bit. The fabric formerly known as stuffy gets a fabulous makeover with Crystalyn's innovative shapes, judicious use of hardware, and contrasting accent fabrics. Her...
The perfect kids jeans jacket. At last! At last!
I have been on the hunt for the perfect children's jeans jacket ever since my baby outgrew the one handed down from her sister. And by outgrew I mean I continued to stuff her into it until it simply became cruel and unusual punishment. Gimos Kidswear has totally saved...
White Trash Mom – Trailer Not Required
If you're having trouble keeping up with the Joneses then you'll want to snatch up a copy of White Trash Mom, a veritable guilt-free school mom's tome from authors Michelle Lamar and Molly Wendland. Don't let the title scare off you urban mamas - this hilarious book...
Flaunting my lack of greeting card-making talent
The most thoughtful cards are ones you make yourself, I suppose, if you have any sort of artistic ability. If you want a card with a smudged scribble and some glitter on it, I could probably manage that. But when I want to send the very best, I tend to look around for...
Adorn your keys, you classy thing you
I haven't had a keychain since college, when we attached our keys to ID holders and waved them around at football games. Since I've (hopefully) evolved since then, I've decided to add a little personality and style to my keys. At least until they, too, become replaced...