As the final countdown to my favorite holiday of the year begins, I can't help but want to break out the package of fun size M&Ms and throw fake cobwebs around my foyer, like right now. Since I know I'll only eat all the candy and end up…
One night this week, a cold breeze wafted through the window, really for the first time, and I was struck with the horror that it's October now. And soon I would have to get the kids off to school with more than the backpacks on their ba…
Oh Lordie do I wish I could be one of those moms who whips up their kid's Halloween costume every year. But no, I end up going to some Party store and buying an overpriced polyester get-up. Whether or not you can sew I think this adorabl…
I want to give a hand to WeeKnit on Etsy: they've brought together the coolest collection of finger puppets I've ever seen. Where else can you find a vampire, a mummy, Frankenstein, a pirate, and a ninja in one place? And would that not …
Everybody goes gaga for a squishy new baby. Not only do they look like Winston Churchill and smell like heaven, but you can dress them up the cutest little thumb-sized shoes without the scuffing and "Oops, we left it at the playground" i…
Even though it's still in the 80s here in the deep south, I've heard rumors that the weather is already starting to change in other parts of the country. Lucky you ! But whether you're still in shorts like me or you're pulling out your f…
Of the kids' clothing lines that I anxiously await the new season's collections, Ses Petites Mains is definitely high on the list. And let's just say that designer Beth Miles' combination of ruffles and plaid, with some adorable denim on…
Sure, we've all had elasticized slippers for our babies, but when was the last time your baby went out in hand-made, hand-beaded leather stay-on moccasins made by First Nations women in Canada? Not recently, I'm willing to bet. These lit…
I spent a lot of time in airports last month, and one thing became as clear as an airplane-sized glass of Sprite: Europeans are just uniquely cool. I think they must be born with it. The scarves , the sunglasses, the bags -- and definite…
When I first saw pictures of the amazing, whimsical and unbelievably detailed fairy tale houses and furniture by Mike and Debbie Schramer I simply marveled. This brilliant husband and wife team use real flowers, branches, roots, and moss…
It seemed like yesterday that I was dying to put a hair clip in my oldest daughter's nearly bald little head. And now with her bangs all grown out and her hair all grown in, she really can't leave home without one, so I'm always on the l…
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, now six, rattles that were actually cute, functional, and not made completely of plastic were just starting to make it onto the scene. Well it seems that now cuteness and a bit of hilarity abou…
In the summer, I tend to let my handbags go a little more casual and a little less structured. Messenger bags can do the trick, but frankly, I don't want to look like a messenger. [ don't miss the giveaway after the jump!] That's where M…
There's a lot of adorable children's furniture out there, but the big problem is the cost. At least for the stuff I tend to like, which is vibrant and modern and doesn't have the word Shaker anywhere near it. Then I discovered the afford…
There's just no comparison to the feel of handmade ceramics, knowing that an artisan's hands shaped the clay and followed inspiration to decorate something just for you. Don't moms deserve little islands of peace and beauty in our hectic…
"Think big, shop small" is the call to action from a gorgeous site called Cosa Verde. have some of my favorite buzzwords from the get-go: Handmade goods , i ndependent artists , and sustainably made . It's like an aggregator of beautiful…
Call me sappy but I love the idea of getting all festive for the Fourth of July. And I really love the idea of doing it in a way that doesn't involve my children blowing something up. So sign me up for giant watermelon slices, sparklers …
Edited to add: Unfortunately, Kate Landers Events no longer exists. Why settle for paper plates with generic movie princesses on them when you can actually have a party fit for a princess, complete with a hand-made felt crown and persona…
I reluctantly retired my favorite brown leather handbag for the summer and decided to give canvas a try. And let's just say, I'm going to have a hard time going back once it starts to get cold again. Indeed this adorable houndstooth bag …
We've been fans of the Handmade Toy Alliance since this organization formed in 2008 in response to Congress's [expletive deleted] Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. This ill-conceived (and ironically named) law is the impetus for …
I'm in heaven. Floating above the clouds, birds tweeting around me, angels singing sweet melodies heaven, all because I've discovered the sweet caloric glory of Elsylee cookies . Let's just say these handmade-to-order artisanal cookies f…
When your kids are still too young to break out the glitter glue and make dad a Father's Day card--or too old-- a printed card can still go a long way . So to keep you from the card aisle crush the next Saturday, I searched through Etsy …
These so-called " friendly monster finger puppets " bear such a striking resemblance to the Yo Gabba Gabba characters that I had to break down and buy them for my YGG-obsessed daughter's third birthday. I mean, that striped green one doe…
Up until now, I thought of kids' slippers as a blah winter afterthought or last minute stocking stuffer. But once I saw my own little fairy stomping around the house in these Pixie Slippers from Organic Echo, I realized that they're not …