Recently we introduced you to the wonderful Martha Stewart American Made Awards which is offering crafters and other small business owners a chance to win $10,000 to support their dreams. Well, we are just thrilled to find out that some …
One of my most favorite items is a quilt made by my great-grandmother, handed down to me by my grandmother. There is something so special and meaningful about a handmade quilt, although quilting for most people seems like a talent reserv…
While we love tracking down hostess gifts for all those summer weekend invitations, it probably doesn't end with Labor Day. Especially with the holidays (eep!) coming up. So I love this fabulous, affordable gift that feels a little more …
Judging by the awesomely geeky baby goods in this chic boutique, I would wager that Wonder Woman's sewing machine isn't as invisible as her jet. Whether you need to burp, wipe, snuggle , or celebrate your little Loki, this is the source …
I admit it. Finding unique accessories that stand out from what I see on the wrists and fingers of the other women in my neighborhood gives me a little caffeine shot of joy. I love it when someone asks, "Where did you get that?" Sometime…
August is a bit of a weird jewelry-buying time. I want things that will feel all light and happy with my sleeveless dresses, but I've also got an eye towards fall. Which his why these affordable skinny bangles are the perfect thing to ta…
Despite having found so many cool kids' growth charts here on Cool Mom Picks, I confess I still use a pencil on the side of our kitchen wall. It's not that I haven't loved every single one of them, but they're either too pretty or too bi…
My 8-year old is just starting to accessorize her outfits, which is probably no surprise considering I have a little addiction to accessories myself. If you've got a tween that's ready for something better than play jewelry but not Tiffa…
Ever look down from an airplane at the panorama below and consider how very much the ground looks like a crazy quilt? Us, too. That's just one reason we're smitten with how these stylish quilts that gorgeous capture the cities and places…
It happens again and again: one dress-up lap around the living room and the creepy faux-metallic paint on your daughter's "jewelry" is already flaking off and the molded plastic clasp has begun to warp. It's not always easy to find dress…
As a professional decorator, one of my favorite spaces to take on is a kid's room . You can go as creative and whimsical as you want; where else could I use every color in the rainbow and indulge in prints that are easily deemed "funny?"…
There were moments in my children's earlier years that all I wanted to do was cover them in a full body raincoat. It seemed like meal times turned into "let's get as covered with food as we possibly can" times. Thankfully, a brilliant mo…
An insane number of crafters on Etsy are making all manners of barrettes, hair bands and baby bows, some with adornments larger nearly as large the actual baby. (I never got that, I have to say.) Searching for something tasteful can be a…
Sometimes art just speaks to you, and that's how I felt gazing at the beautiful original artwork from artist Rachel Austin. I was poking around the Poppytalk Marketplace and discovered Rachel's wonderful mixed media map paintings . Clear…
This October, my youngest daughters will be turning 4 and 2 and as part of our family tradition, they will be wearing hand-me-down Courtney Courtney kids' dresses . We first featured them in 2008 on Cool Mom Picks, and designer Courtney …
Its been a while since we first discovered Imaginative PlayToys , and the gorgeous handmade felt table covers she makes to turn your card table into oh...say, a pirate ship. Checking back again after awhile I discovered a new shop name a…
I make it no secret that I have a huge crush on the Canadian Ryans: Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling. But since I'm not 15 anymore, I'm pretty sure the glossy posters on my ceiling or calendars on my wall are out of the question. But a tea…
[ updated with corrected info] There is something so special about children's clothes with history. Hand-me-downs aren't just a frugal choice : there's often meaning in seeing your child in his grandpa's favorite college sweatshirt. And …
One of my children's very favorite thing about Grandma's house is the the swing in the backyard. We are city-dwellers after all, and swings are generally something you have to wait in line for. This one started as a little baby swing han…
If you're like me, then you've got a couple of boxes in the attic with a few of each of your kids' baby clothes. Every now and then I wonder what exactly I'm going to do with them when I pull them out in ten years and they're all dusty a…
Finding that Higgs Boson particle is pretty cool, I guess. But maybe it's time to go back to the roots of invention and adventure that make America so great. Namely, dirigibles, freeze rays, lasers, and zombies. all of which come to life…
When I find myself with a little square of wall space to fill, I've found that ornaments can add nice texture and dimension, instead of another poster or print. And this Etsy shop makes ones that are so cute, I might just clear some spac…
At least once a day (sometimes more), my husband is searching for his keys and wallet. And don't even get me started about the piles of change all over my house. So that's why I think this new Etsy find might be a cool, surprising Father…
One of the most sentimental, sweet things any kid can do for a dad is to make a DIY Father's Day gift. Whether a gift made from their own artwork, or something entirely crafty (with a little help from another adult, ahem) we just love al…