I feel like, every fall, I end up on on a mission to find handmade sweaters and other goodies that have that little extra bit of TLC knitted in. You know, like someone made them just for my kids Robbie Carmack of RCforkids is pretty much…
I'm one of those mothers that's a professional organizer's nightmare. I can hardly bear to part with a single one of my girls' drawings, whether it's a 3-D art class project, or a scribble on a napkin. So I always love ways to turn kids'…
Garfield has never been called elegant, nor is Snoopy considered stylish. And yet, in the right hands, the Sunday comics are being transformed into stunning holiday ornaments. The Sea Urchin Recycled Newspaper Ornament from kissadesign o…
This holiday season, you can do almost anything with your fancy photos: make books, cards, puzzles, even an afghan. But we found one artist putting a beautiful homemade twist on capturing your family's image, and we think this one's wort…
When I came across this gorgeous lilac crochet scarf on Etsy, I just about clicked "add to cart" right on the spot. Good thing I didn't because then I would have missed all the other beautiful colors. Brooklyn's VitalTemptation is a name…
I am a total Etsy junky; it's my first stop when I'm looking for cool, quirky accessories or for gifts for friends and family. I'm always particularly amazed by the beautiful handmade kids' clothing on Etsy, which is why you see so much …
When the heat started clicking through the radiator this past week, I knew it was time to start trading the cotton for wool and bringing the gloves out of the back of the closet. The handknit gloves from Etsy's Reflections By DS are maki…
If you're the Mom, that means you probably buy the birthday presents, the holiday presents, the housewarming presents, the Your First Recital presents, the Sorry Your Husband Got Fired presents. And the only time you ever get a surprise …
I am fairly confident in my taste, and know when I see an invitation that's special and different. But making it myself? No way. So I am happy to know there are some wonderful artists and designers out there who are willing to work with …
I did this thing last year where I decided it to hand-make my daughter a Big Bird costume for Halloween--feather by feather. I'm not a natural costume-maker, so the whole thing was imperfect--but it was fun to make and she dug it. This y…
As I've learned, finding the perfect holiday gift for nieces and nephews can be tough, particularly when I'm trying to avoid picking out some random thing from the giant toy store chain. This year, I'm thinking about something personaliz…
In spring, a young man's thoughts lightly turn to love. In fall, everyone's thoughts turn to a really kickass Halloween costume. Right? If you're looking for something really special this year , that will last past midnight on the 31st, …
Prior to chopping all my hair off a few months ago, I was the queen of the ponytail. I used to feel bad about pulling my hair back on a daily basis, mostly because I could never quite master making my ponytails look like anything more th…
Some mornings, as I leave for work, my daughter says, "Mommy, give me something from your bag so I can remember you!" I reach in and pull out a business card, a pen...anything will do really. It's become a sweet little tradition between …
Hide the good scissors isn't just something you say because the kids will just ruin them cutting cardboard and digging holes in the dirt. It also happens to be the name of a super-sweet Etsy shop that we're digging hardcore. The good new…
We found (and squealed about) the delicious, inventive cards and invitations from Bird and Banner years ago, but it's been a while since I stopped by to see what's new. Let's just say the selection hasn't quite made me want to have anoth…
When I had my daughter--after already having a son--I am a tiny bit ashamed to admit that I became a pretty easy sell with special "girlie" things like dresses and hair clips. Girlie, but not too girlie, you know? So these new baby dress…
I often look through the pages of magazines seeking artsy living spaces with pictures of real live human children. Sadly, there is nary a Cheerio in sight. But this piece of furniture I just discovered, I could imagine in my home with my…
Summer is here, and once it gets hot, the temptation to just let the baby loll around in a diaper -- or maybe a onesie -- is almost overwhelming. But if you're like me, you're always looking for ways to keep the baby cool and cute, all a…
This might be the first summer where my oldest daughter has hair long enough to actually put up, and with the heat already sweltering, she rarely ever wears it down. So, on my hunt for cute ponytail holders-- hold the mammoth bows and co…
Etsy artist Cara Taylor of Northampton, Mass makes charming and simple ceramic pieces inspired by what she likes as part of her own everyday life-- and apparently we have something in common. Coffee and flowers, meet your mugs and vases.…
We love seeing the amazing work of independent artisans recognized on big sites--except when they don't actually give credit to the artist. That seems to be the case with jewelry artist Stevie Koerner of tru.che , whose beautiful United/…
I find myself missing clocks these days. You know, clocks? Actual things with two hands that don't glow in the dark from your DVR box or flash 12:00 after the electricity goes out? So when I saw this wooden clock, I felt this little pang…
Now that my near 7-month-old can make her way around the floor, she can reach all the little teeny toys my older kids have grown accustomed to scattering everywhere. Aside from sending them to another room to play, I've found three toys …