I confess: I have a love-hate relationship with planning birthday parties for my kids. While picking a theme can be fun, I also find it a little exhausting to sift through website after website looking for cool activities for a superhero…
The start of the school year means once again, the hunt for creative party favors and teacher gift s begins. Well we've brought you cookies in a jar , dreidels in a jar , and pickles in a jar . Now we've got a forest in a jar-- made by y…
I'm a big fan of superheroes, and therefore, cool superhero invitations. I'm pretty sure your kids are too. I love seeing my kids practice being good people while pretending to be courageous, powerful and strong. I mean, sure, sometimes …
With so many of us on the verge of Olympics fever, a Summer Olympics party is such a great way to get older kids into the spirit of the games. Whether you're just trying to make the opening ceremonies more exciting on Friday, or throw a …
Merely a place mat for children? Perish the thought. It can be a hat, a brooch, or a pterodactyl. Or just a handy color-your-own disguise kit for a messy kid who needs a mustache. The Paper Disguises Place Mat at My Sweet Muffin is a fan…
I have a big love for finding the perfect hostess gifts for those overnight or weekend invitations that crop up over the summer--if we're lucky. (Hint: feel free to invite us! My kids eat nothing and we bring good hostess gifts .) While …
I am planning a garden-themed 4th birthday party for my daughter in a few weeks. I need some creative inspiration! So far, we're going to have the kids each plant something in a pot to take home .. And that's all. I need ideas for other …
Oh say can you see... how awesome your 4th of July party or barbecue is going to be? Whether you need a last minute nosh or pretty party printables , we've got you covered like strawberries on a flag cake. 1. Need to keep your little pat…
Earlier this week it was fun finding some of the most beautiful Fourth of July printables and decor , and now for you DIY'ers, I've rounded up fun Fourth of July crafts so you can celebrate America's 236th birthday party in style. Whethe…
The best party recipes for occasions like the Fourth of July, are simple party recipes that allow you enjoy the celebration too. These festive treats are just that easy. You can even have little ones help with the prep work, while older …
I love Fourth of July parties, but not all Fourth of July party decor. Beer, hot dogs, fireworks and vintage Americana are good. Red white and blue painted garden gnomes, not so much. I've tracked down these cool, classy options for fest…
Father's Day is Sunday, and while we've been giving you loads (and loads and loads of Father's Day gift ideas , we understand that you may still be looking for that little special "something" that will pull it all together. Instead of sc…
Looking for ideas for a child's birthday party can be both fun-- and stressful. When my kids were younger, I confess, I went a little overboard with over-the-top parties causing me to collapse with exhaustion. As I learned, it can be a l…
Girls' birthday party ideas can still be girlie, even if you want to avoid the same old princess theme. Which is why I instantly fell in love with the downloadable, customizable party kits at Creative Little Stars, based around classic s…
Everybody loves cupcakes, but decorating them can be majorly intimidating. You can always outsource, of course, but spending a fortune at a fancy bakery for a kid's birthday isn't very appetizing either. This is why I'm in L-O-V-E with t…
I always need another reason to eat cupcakes (well, I don't need a reason) and now I have one. All I need is a baby shower invitation and I'm all set. The edible icing cupcake topper folks at Ticings.com (a big fave around here) have col…
The standards for kids' birthday cakes have gone up a bit since I was little, when we just stopped by the Piggly Wiggly and had the teen behind the counter misspell my name between the lumpy sugar roses. Now we want them to be beautiful,…
If you need a break from superheroes and princesses, I've got a fabulous kids birthday party idea, and it's so easy: Food themed birthday parties. Move over tea parties, we've got three new themes worth checking out. Milk & Cookies Fest …
We are so excited to welcome Stacie of One Hungry Mama to the Cool Mom Picks team! We've admired her common sense, approachable, clever posts about food and cooking for ages now. This is the first of her weekly niblets of food-related co…
I always feel more social during the holidays. Maybe it's the cooler weather and festive music that inspires me to finally bring out the welcome mat and throw a party. (Fine, the fact that the house is finally decorated doesn't hurt.) Bu…
We were so impressed with the gorgeous eco-friendly holiday cards from Night Owl Paper Goods last year that we ordered them for our own CMP contributors. So when I heard they added a few new items to their collection of goodies, I couldn…
With the money I'm spending on Halloween costumes and bags of candy, I'm not about to drop a fortune on decor too. So, I'm so pleased to have found so many affordable (and free!) printables that don't require me to do much of anything or…
My kids are at the age where their Trick-or-Treat bags return home weighing almost as much as they do. At this rate they'll be up to their knees in mini-treats until 2012. So I'm often looking out for other things to hand out at Hallowee…
Whether you're into classic Zeppelin or that annoyingly peppy pop song about a party under the Hollywood sign, you can't play it without a guitar. And you definitely shouldn't party without these extra tiny, extra awesome guitars, just i…