I make no apologies about dissuading people from giving stuffed animals as baby gifts because the damn things just seem to spawn and multiply overnight. But I could easily make an exception when it comes to the gorgeous plush baby rattle…
The only thing more impressive to us than an adorable handmade stuffed animal is one with an awesome do-gooding backstory. Like the one behind Kathy Chereck's "critters" at the shop Ashley Petite . When Kathy Chereck lost her grandson, N…
I'm on a bit of a framing kick lately; instead of buying new artwork we're trying to make use of the photos and odd bits of ephemera we have around to liven up some of the blank walls. So when I discovered the gorgeous handmade frames fr…
Since turning five and seeing all her similarly aged friends losing teeth, my daughter has become obsessed with the tooth fairy. And while I love all the fantastic tooth fairy pillows we've found here at Cool Mom Picks, I don't think I c…
The first thing I thought when I saw the little audrey in the city dress was that I really really want one in my size. This black and white micro-polkadot dress is classic and cute in all the right ways. Blue Sky Rocket has a new selecti…
We recently finished our basement, and having a spiffy designated playroom for the kids has done amazing things for my sanity. Now it's time to find storage for all the toys we so eagerly transferred there. In my search for the perfect p…
I'm from small-town Iowa, so when my daughter was born, the Quilting Ladies (as they are known) whipped up something custom, no problem. I didn't even have to ask. But fear not, Quilting Lady-less mamas, for Etsy has delivered once again…
I don't have a lot of hand painted art on my walls, especially in the nursery. But I can easily change that with Brooklyn-based Rebekah Potter's diminutive BloKs , essentially 3.5 x 5" wooden blocks with a word and matching illustration,…
I have two boys, and while I adore them, I've always felt like I missed out a little when it comes to shopping, because boys really get the short end of the stick for play clothes. I'm especially feeling that way now that I've seen the b…
I just discovered the wonderful Poppytalk Handmade , and I am wondering where it's been all my life. This online craft fair comes from the minds behind the wonderful Canadian design blog Poppytalk and each month there's a new theme (righ…
I've already espoused a bunch of fabulous bloomers this season, mostly due to their versatility and all-around cute factor, and our latest find, the adorable one-of-a-kind "Fortune Cookie" Shorties from Handmade Charlotte , make a pretty…
I know, it's summer and you're not thinking warm, fuzzy blanket, but really, for those pregnant friends due in fall or winter or those of us with the air conditioning pumping all night, the handmade blankets from Big Fat Hen are a pretty…
When it comes to mobiles, we always prefer the handmade, battery-free versions that can do double duty as beautiful wall decor. And I'm so happy to have discovered the selection from The Butter Flying --in fact my immediate response to t…
When we got word that there's a company doing cool things with kidswear made of vintage feed sacks, I have to say that the terms romantic, delicate, soft and cozy didn't exactly spring to mind. But that's just how I would describe the be…
Well it's about time my favorite local Brooklyn toy store, Acorn toys , went digital. Not that I was complaining before, mind you, but now everyone I know can check out the gorgeous selection of handmade toys and other special gifts for …
My six-month old is at a point where she could use a little something on her feet other than socks, but doesn't yet have a need for heartier leather (or fake leather) booties. Enter Wombagully Wonders cotton baby booties , handcrafted by…
There are children, and then there are The Children Who Have Everything , and ack, I never know what the heck to get them for birthdays and holidays and weekend visits. Since I don't have the money to go bigger (no pony for you, kid) I d…
There's no shortage of adorable, swoon-worthy items on Etsy, but Amy Joyner's She Knits shop is clearly trying to kill me with handmade cuteness. Her 100% organic cotton/wool blend "chocolate dipped" baby booties do indeed look good enou…
I never really thought the words "eco" and "barrette" would be used in the same sentence, that is until I was introduced to the felt hair clips at Sophia Bella Mia. At first glance, you might think they look like any other cute girl's fl…
After my daughter was born, I had to institute a no-smocked-dresses rule in my house after countless handmade gifts from well-meaning relatives somehow relied on this form of embellishment. Thank goodness shops like Livvysue Boutique exi…
The last thing we ever thought we'd be featuring on these pages is a a Virgin Mary softie , or an eco-friendly one at that, created by hand from eco-fi felt made completely from recycled water bottles. But the way we see it, some pewter …
Say "quilt" and certain words are likely to spring to mind, like old-fashioned, patchwork, and grannies -- but one look at the incredible modern quilts from Got Me In Stitches and you'll realize that you're way off base. These quilts are…
Now that I have added another daughter to my brood, I have an extra excuse to shop for hair accessories. If I could, I'd go with absolutely every handmade girls' hair clip from the amazing mom-owned Tiny Sweets. I know, I know. That does…
Sometimes you want to donate to a good cause , and sometimes you want to buy cute stuff. And sometimes someone gets a fabulous idea like The Emancipation Network did, and they start selling cute stuff made by the very folks the profits g…