If your kids get as excited as mine when they get something in the mailbox, then check out this adorable and free printable mailbox from TinyMe that will let you send and receive notes from your kids anytime, no stamp required. This prin…
Of all the throwback candies, candy corn reigns supreme. More than just nostalgic, it is among the most popular Halloween candies year after year. (Because it's awesome, that's why.) It’s also the inspiration for these fun, delicious can…
We are in full-on planning mode for Halloween here at Cool Mom Picks, with adorably unique costume ideas for babies, yummy Halloween treats , gorgeous handmade masks and invitations , and even the best not-too-scary party ideas for the l…
I typically think of gingerbread houses as a Christmas tradition, but my family is usually so slammed with other activities then that we don't get around to it. So this year I'm thinking, why not build a candy house for the holiday that'…
What's black and white and chic all over? Your baby's future nursery, of course! If you're looking for something other than the traditional blues, pinks and yellows, we've got you covered. I'm a huge fan of this gender-neutral nursery tr…
I'm taking a stand: No more seasonal cookie cutters for a single use. If I can't use the cookie cutter for multiple purposes I'm not buying it, and I don't think you should either. Now we just have to figure out how to use the pile of co…
Halloween parties may be the most fun for me, because there are just so many cool Halloween party ideas, especially for kids. Instead of just going with a standard "Halloween" theme, you can get more specific and find a theme that lends …
It hasn't yet snowed here in Colorado, but it's only a matter of time before the flurries fly and the birds are scrambling for food. Because I love to craft pretty things that are also useful, I've been looking for DIY bird feeders. I'm …
I just cooked to say I Love You . And Superstar , and Happy Birthday , and pretty much any message up to 17 letters that can be stamped into a cookie . Thanks to this genius customizable Cookie Stamper , you can customize any message wit…
I'm all for any kind of online content that's designed to empower and inspire women, from the MAKERS website we recently discovered on Cool Mom Tech to the wonderful stories of women through history brought to life on The Reconstructioni…
Playing a board game with the kids can be fun, but it's bound to feel a lot more special when your kids get to put their own finishing touches on the games themselves, like they can with DIY Board Games . And, don't worry: The "DIY" does…
Ever since a Cool Mom Picks editor forwarded me a link to the Creatiate Etsy shop devoted solely to cool handmade rubber stamps , I've been imagining the inky possibilities. These stamps are gorgeous--like I wish I could spend a week sta…
We love finding gorgeous designs from indie artists, but sometimes what you really need is a way to make your very own custom design --preferably without hiring an artist or earning a degree in graphic design. The new Makr app for iOS he…
This summer I mapped out fun crafts to do with my kids every week, and we completed exactly zero of them. It might be because I pinned things like build a lap-sized loom and learn to weave . I'm still not giving up on making beautiful, m…
Those iconic handmade wooden crate and roller-skate-bottom scooters from the Great Depression have been retooled and re-imagined to form the fierce-looking Skate Crate , hopefully coming soon to a sidewalk near you. At least if you ask o…
When I walked down my son's school hallway this week I couldn't help but giggle when I saw four identical backpacks hanging from the hooks outside his classroom. (Take note: purple leopard print is a big hit with third graders right now.…
In a world exploding with 3D printers and landfills full of old junk, there's something refreshing about toys that start out as paper and end up as, well, more paper. In fact, you can print these toys at home, build them yourself, store …
While yes, you can--and I have--let the kids go to town on that plain canvas pencil case with Sharpies, I've been on the lookout for cool back to school crafts that might be more fun and interesting. And I do mean cool ones; I spent ages…
As parents, one of our favorite things about the web is the ability to find so many cool--often free-- printables for kids of all kinds that make us all look like crafty geniuses. They're especially abundant this time of year, as back to…
My older daughter took the plunge into the world of pierced ear this year and, well, that's a whole story in itself. But in the meanwhile her sister is very happy sticking with the cool temporary tattoo jewelry just out from Poppy Drops …
When I was a kid, my mom put me in sewing camp for a week one summer. My style has since progressed from the neon purple and pink poufy overalls I made then, but I still craft -- and I still need some inspiration from time to time. For a…
Whether you're hosting a sleepover in your backyard under the stars, sending the kids off to summer camp, or packing up the camping gear and heading out on a family retreat in the car, make-your-own stories can be a fun, low-tech way to …
We've seen just about everything in the dollhouse world, but we've never seen an elephant you could live in. The natural wooden dollhouse called the Ele Villa ("elephant house"), from natural, sustainable toy company Rock and Pebble defi…
We've seen rainbow themed parties for kids before, but if you have an art and color-loving child, a rainbow art party can be a really fun and original theme for the birthday boy or girl. While there are plenty of ideas out there that inv…
