Thanks so much to CBS 4 in Denver for the lovely coverage of our Holiday Gift Guide and their focus on our support of mom-run businesses and more affordable options for parents this year.[...]
Thanks so much to CBS 4 in Denver for the lovely coverage of our Holiday Gift Guide and their focus on our support of mom-run businesses and more affordable options for parents this year.
Clearly the green movement is everywhere including, now, your underwear. Indeed your skivvies are the next if not final frontier for a demonstration of your commitment to all things eco, as we've recently discovered.
We fell in love with Paloma's Nest last year when we first featured this Austin artist's ceramic Christmas ornaments in our holiday gift guide. (
I still remember being about seven and getting my first set of "serious colored pencils" from my mom. I recall the pride of knowing I'd outgrown the kid stuff.
If you've got a kid older than about a year, you probably know that bandages are pretty much the best little gift or stocking stuffer ever in the whole wide world. 
With the weather getting cooler (yes, even here in Atlanta) my barefoot kiddos are sporting some pretty chilly tootsies. I perused a few stores for some slipper options only to find gigantic square cars and other licensed character numbers, then decided I needed better [...] 
We tend not to post too many recalls here of brands we don't tend to cover because, ugh, there are a lot of recalls. But in this case, today's Stork Craft crib recall of 2.1 million units is the' [...] 
When I was in Spain last month, I was introduced to Snoods from Kid Cashmere, these beautiful handmade cashmere sleeves from mom Jolie Sutton
You can check out all of the photobook contest entries on the Cool Mom Picks Shutterfly share page, but there were a few that we found so inspiring, we thought we'd give them an honorable mention here.
Looking around the Shokay e-shop recently, it turns out one of our favorite fair trade purveyors of luxury hand knit baby clothes are doing beautiful things with accessories now too. Kristen and I pretty much gasped simultaneously when
I send flowers several times a year and I've found it to be very hit or miss in terms of the quality and freshness. When most of the "fresh" flowers you order are shipped in from abroad, how fresh can they be?
Confession: I was miserable in the last trimester of both of my pregnancies. Not because I was huge and couldn't see my feet and had a person sitting on my bladder. No, I hated that I was compelled to wear really really boring clothes' [...] 
I'm a little unbalanced when it comes to "Japanese cute" like Momiji Friendship Dolls, the uber-trendy little resin dolls from London's Artforum, 
This time of year, the entire world descends on my fair city, or seems to, judging from the midtown traffic and my inability to get anywhere near the fitting rooms at H+M at lunchtime. So I'd be remiss if I didn't point out a [...] 
In our family, Christmas stockings have always been a really important aspect of our family tradition. So I really love seeking out terrific Christmas stockings for our readers that their families will truly love. 
I still fondly remember Momma's Jewels as the first teething jewelry I had seen that didn't look like teething jewelry. My feeling has always been that if you're going to wear jewelry, wear jewelry that looks fabulous to everyone around you. Not just [...] 
With some of our closest friends and family (and yes, even you, our fabulous readers) taking the plunge into parenthood through the amazing gift of adoption, we're always on the lookout for amazing finds as a way to celebrate their journey. So in honor of' [...] 
For years I was mystified by the thong, an article of clothing that felt more "medieval torture device" than comfy undergarment. But, after hearing about Hanky Panky's thongs
We've all got play dough connoisseurs for children at Cool Mom Picks, so I know that a few of the organic versions I've had a chance to try out recently have some tough standards to live up to. 
We've been blown away by the awesome entries to the Shutterfly Contest so far. We love seeing your families and your amazing books - so keep 'em coming! 
Right now, we're thinking about family, food, fall...and turkey. Here's some stuff we liked reading this week, and maybe you will too.
I've become a strong advocate of paper dolls since realizing that my girls can spend hours entertaining themselves with them. The only issue? That whole paper thing. 
Next week is Thanksgiving, and if you're like my family, that means lots of little kids around. The cousins are all getting to the age where they can entertain themselves (hallelujah!) which means we're stocking up on craft supplies and games.
It's no secret that mail is cool. I'll bet I'm not the only person who still gets a little flutter of excitement when I come home to see envelopes poking out the top of my mailbox.
With my family spread out around the country, we often spend the holidays alone, which means I don't have the greatest excuse to buy my kids fancy holiday best. So instead, I tend to look for festive clothes that still work the other 364' [...] 
Especially this time a year, we love opportunities to get our kids, even the really little ones, into the idea of doing nice things for other people. 
Considering my youngest is getting all her molars and eye teeth in at the same time (no kidding), the super smart Ringley teether, a mom-invented natural wood and organic terry cloth teething toy, is in regular rotation around my place. But now the Ringley [...] 
Steer clear of the fruitcake and stinky pine candles, mamas! If it's cool holiday gifts you're looking for, then we've got you covered with our brand spankin' new 2009 Holiday Gift Guide.
' [...]
With all the slings and carriers I've collected over the last five years, we've always kept the Baby Bjorn on regular rotation thanks to its simple, smart style, versatility, and ease of use. Plus, it's the only carrier my husband seems to feel comfortable [...] 
Oh my gosh am I excited to have discovered the personalized rubber stamps from Craft Pudding. I already loved the idea when I found them earlier in the yea
I could count the many ways in which I am completely obsessed with Threadless, the original crowdsourcing art-to-product site, but who has that kind of time? 
There's a good reason our readers are tremendous fans of the keepsake jewelry from Julian & Co, and that's because you are all smart. And have good taste. And like things that make you cry. 
With all due respect to the latest pop star du jour, most modern renditions of my favorite classic holiday songs leave me wishing for stronger eggnog. But now that I've started playing the Putumayo Presents awesome new A Family Christmas CD well before' [...] 
We've been keeping our eyes open for those extra special holiday gifts, like for a baby's first Christmas. I'm very intrigued by Picture Book Originals which offers which offers original illustrations and signed giclee prints from children's picture books. Our recent learning photo book contest for our awesome sponsor Shutterfly, was one of the most fun contests we've ever done here. Our readers submitted so many inspiring ideas for turning the photo books into learning books, that we wanted to go back and create' [...] 
Mixed in with all the stuffed animals and toy trucks, my son also had a doll that he loved to play with. His name was Alex. After all, it's just as important for boys to learn to be loving and nurturing. 
I'm actually pretty practical when it comes to my girls' dressier shoes. I am willing to spend more than average, but I demand great design and excellent construction.
I find The Nutcracker a bit hard to explain to fidgety kids, so before I fork over $50 a seat to take them to see it in person, I'm going to let them watch Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker to their heart's content.' [...] 
Our kids have been separating paper from plastics since they were only yea high, but today on America Recycles Day, we're taking a look at the RecycleBank website for Tessa Hills' Recycling Tips for Kids to find easy ways to make big changes in [...] 
My kids can play "birthday" pretty much every day. We have a ridiculous number of play cake sets, and if they're not around, my girls are happy to crumple up a piece of paper, stick a Q-tip in it and' [...] 
Sometimes we find our own best picks from our sponsors (what can we say? We click on our own ads to see what's cool!) and this week, I learned that One King's Lane, which has private sales on amazing home decor brands, is [...] 
My mom would like to get my 14 month old daughter a wooden nativity set for Christmas - something she can actually play with but something sturdy, cute, and made to last. - Cara
I had my baby in February, which meant my son's little toes needed to be kept warm. He was too young for shoes, and the baby socks I had for him spent more time on the floor than on his feet. 
Sure my son's friends get monogrammed Christmas stockings, but he can enjoy eating his latkes off one of these personalized Hanukkah plates, by Lima Bean Kids.
My daughter loves puppets. I mean, she really loves puppets. She carries them around and tells them stories and engages them in fisticuffs. (Put Bert on one hand and Ernie on the other and smash them together and you get the picture.) 
I used to want the Wheels on the Bus to fall off and roll into a ditch, but then Rhythm Child's Norman Jones and his skillful Rhythm Child Network took that broken-down bus, funked it up and turned it into something [...] 
We all know that babies usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to Christmas presents, mostly because they'd just as soon spend hours chewing on a big red bow than playing with a bunch of expensive toys.
I know I'm not alone in looking for more
tasteful and restrained displays of holiday cheer after being assaulted by
Christmas carols, gaudy lights and huge inflatable snowmen in stores
the day after Halloween.
Remember when we told you about Project 7 water? Remember how we told you that they donate half of their profits to charities that do the important work of feeding the hungry and protecting the environment?
*Note: Make sure you read down for one of the coolest contests we've ever run.
It really pains me to compromise my jewelry choices because I'm a mom, but when you're chasing after three kids under five most of the day you just can't wear the same delicate, dangly bracelets that get caught on everything if you're doing [...] 
Now that my husband has just returned (yay! he's back!) from his two month long deployment as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Veteran's Day holds a lot more personal meaning.
I'm not much for toys with vchips and dolls that talk - in fact, they kind of scare me. But I will say I'm making an exception for the Teach Me Time clock for children which blends form and a lot of function.
Honestly, I think of felt and often I think "meh." But I've just seen the light, because the light, apparently, comes in the form of felt cushion wall hangings featuring bunnies and Matryoshka dolls that would just brighten up any nursery in the world.
When I told my parents I was expecting, I didn't tell them I was expecting. I told them we'd done some interesting sightseeing, and did they want to see pictures? And then I gave them my ultrasound photos.
Yes so we rag on the ubiquitous Elmo merch here from time to time. But the truth is, our heart has always been with Sesame Street which turns forty today. Forty! 
I was feeling pretty good about my switch over to cloth grocery bags, until I kept leaving them at home. Well, leave it to Knock Knock to make light of this exact situation on their hilarious Forget This Bag bag.
Thanks to a bit of a shoe obsession, I really don't need any excuse to buy new shoes for my kids. But when I heard that the The Mini Social, a cool members only shopping site and past CMP fave will be offering' [...] 
This year we're teaching the kids more about the joy of giving, so I wanted them to think of something they could make for their (mostly girl) cousins. Then along came the jewelry making kits from Bijoux in a Box and' [...] 
We love Maclaren strollers (as do millions of moms) so we're pleased to see them conducting a voluntary recall of all Maclaren umbrella strollers. 
It was with some trepidation that I cracked Martha Stewart's latest, Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home: 52 Quick Meals to Cook for Family and Friends.Two hundred recipes, grouped by season, will appeal to the "local" food eater and to those wanting to chow [...] 
The cold weather snap has made me look like a pretty unprepared mom, with my littlest one wearing her older sister's way too big hat that I had to scrape up from deep within my closet.
We can safely say that team Cool Mom Picks is firmly in the We Love Amy Bengtson camp, with quite a few of us owning the Seattle artist's beautiful handmade, laser cut wooden necklaces. 
With a couple of super skinny girls, I'm often relegated to more structured, streamlined dresses just so they don't look like they're wearing a parachute. 
I am a mama of three little ones, my oldest is five and we are running into a dilemma. There seems to be a lack of cute shoes after size 12. Please would you help? You guys always have the best recommendations! -Gabrielle
As a long-standing semi-vegetarian, I have a soft spot in my heart for the hapless turkey at this time of the year. So no one will be surprised if one of my kids shows up to Thanksgiving dinner wearing this absolutely adorable Gobble Gobble [...] 
Some of my favorite memories: Seeing Paris when I was 8. My senior year dance performance. Bungee jumping off a crane over the Hudson River. And they're all saved on video tape. 
I kinda love everything about Late July snacks. I love that they're organic and free of HFCS and all that other garbage. I love that they're charitably-minded. I love that the company is run by a mom who even sneaks pictures of her [...] 
I don't want my kids to grow up listening to lame, easy-listening music which is why The Jimmies' fun-rock songs have been on heavy rotation since we got Make Your Own Someday, their first CD, a couple of years ago. A
Jewish kids know all about the Hanukkah miracle but what they don't know is how hard it can be to celebrate that Hanukkah miracle in cool, modern style.
When it comes to finding childcare, I'm one of the lucky ones with built-in babysitters (as in, my parents) living a few blocks away. There's a downside or two to having my parents around the corner, trust me, but when it comes to finding someone to watch' [...] 
I was just poking around Etsy (I do that a lot) and I came across a link to the KnitKnit shop from Brooklyn artist Nguyen Le. 
My sister lives in Brooklyn and had a baby girl in June. I know that
her living space is very limited and I am having trouble finding cool
gifts to give to the baby. I was wondering if I could get suggestions
on things that would be [...] 
Ever since we got a Nintendo Wii, my kids have been hooked on bowling. Okay, try completely obsessed. But I figured instead of having them beg to play the virtual version every day, they could do the real thing right at home.
When my son handed me a gorgeous handmade bird necklace for my 29th birthday this year (heh), I had no idea what cool people were behind it. But now that I've gotten to know more about Asheville's Elijah and Rhonda Wyman of Figs &' [...] 
Fall is my favorite time of year because I love to wear jeans, sweaters and boots. I love chocolaty browns and ochre yellows and dark pumpkin colors. The latter two don't look very good on me, but I don't care. It's fall, Y'all! And in its honor,' [...] 
When I had my second baby, one thing that helped my daughter (then just barely two) was to be able to mimic the things I was doing so she could feel like she was "helping." 
It seems like App-mania is sweeping the nation and our neighbors to the north are responsible for a fantastic new one called NFBKids, as in National Film Board of Canada. Best of all, it's free.
My no-time-to-think breakfast of choice is a crunchy bowl of granola, but the good stuff has so many calories that all I can think about is how much time I'll have to do on the elliptical to work it off. 
Want an awesome holiday gift for a two-year old? Something he'll love and cherish and want to play with every free second? And it's also got to be totally affordable?
I know it's exorbitant. I know it's indulgent. But when I saw the handmade solid gold globe charms from Heather B. Moore jewelry recently, I just fell in love. 
To say my son was obsessed with vehicles when he was younger would be a major understatement, and I have six overstuffed bins to prove it. 
As it turns out, Target and H+M no longer have a lock on the lower priced clothing from high-end designers thing. We recently got a look at the brand new Stella McCartney for Gap Kids and Baby line, and the verdict [...] 
Believe it or not, there are kids out there who eat more than spaghetti with butter sauce. Some eat spaghetti and tomato sauce. Some even eat things like (gasp) sushi.
I can't even believe it's time to start thinking about snow boots but yep, it is. 
Loved my ginormous collapsible playpen when the kids were little. Loved. Though I admit to doing a happy dance when I no longer had to lug that thing around to hotels and overnights at the grandparents. 
[...] 
If you're looking to knock off a half-dozen of teacher gifts or cousin gifts or classmate gifts in one fell swoop, I love the idea of the ornament kits from CMP fave, Thomas Claire. 
Some stuff we liked reading this week, and maybe you will too.
Design Mom - A great homemade teachers gift idea
Ohdeedoh - Adorable idea for turning framed family photos into party decor. Makes us ready for a party.
I generally prescribe to the "small boys are suitably dressed up for the holidays when wearing a cute sweater" school of thought, but sometimes that's not enough. Sometimes even little boys must wear a tie to be suitably (get it?) attired
Recently I was introduced to the Plasma Car at a friend's house. I had to beg my four year-old to get off..and give me a try. And once I did, she had to beg me to get off.
I wish I liked eating salads, but I really, really don't. I always seem to end up with a honking piece of spinach lodged between my teeth, cliche though that may sound, so I like to carry a compact with me.
Let's say you've got a mid-century modern design freak on your holiday shopping list - you know, the kind of person who has everything already, and what he or she doesn't have, you probably can't afford. 