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 …
I'm often of the "do it quickly" school when it comes to holiday presents --I sometimes forgo the little touches (like tags!) in favor of just getting the gifts wrapped. (And yes, we're thinking holidays already. Forgive us!) These beaut…
I'm back in town from a delicious jaunt to the Rogue Valley in southern Oregon, and I've got all the dirt on one of my favorite holiday gift companies, Harry & David . (You know, the pear people. With all the catalogs?) So here's my conf…
Doing all of my shopping online sounds like such a brilliant way to avoid a lot of the stress of the holidays, except for now, when my choices are to email a gift card , which doesn't seem very personal, or pay gigantic overnight shippin…
I'm pretty sure my Christmas list one year included a puppy, a kitten, a bunny, and The Black Stallion. I was deeply disappointed not to find any boxes with air holes under the tree, but you can get at least 3 out of 4 with these adorabl…
My quest for all things cool for babies started when a friend told me about Trumpette socks. She said all the hip Mommies in her Brooklyn Mommy's group had them. Images of moms dressed in effortlessly chic clothes with Converse sneakers …
Partridges, French hens, the splattered eggs of a dozen overactive geese. Forget 'em. If you want to say "I love you" with birds, go for the artistic, lasting beauty of paper lovebirds, another gift that gives back. Whether you'd like a …
While Christmas is drawing ever so close, I know the hostess invitations and house visits will extend well into the new year. I can't stop browsing hostess gifts , looking for something more interesting than candles or flower bouquets. I…
I was fretting to my sister that I didn't know what to get her kids, my sweet little niece and nephew, who seemingly have everything. Her response: Don't you review kids' music for Cool Mom Picks? Just get them some cool new tunes! Funny…
Don't worry, little narwhals and belugas. My kids' sticky mitts will never touch you, much less rip you to shreds to get to the booty beneath. No, my sweet blubbery friends, you are far too precious for that. Yes, I'm talking to wrapping…
Around my place, we've got a house full of practical gift giving jokers. I see the old "huge box for a teeny tiny gift" trick almost every year and humor my husband each time he does it. Well this year, pay back is going to be a you know…
If you're sick of the frantic rush of live holiday shopping but still want to take up some real estate under the tree, you need to go check out the cool stuff at Discovery Kids, the exclusive toy section of The Discovery Channel Store. I…
My daughter is obsessed with being a dentist. Yes, just like that Elf on that Rudolph video. Of course, I'm delighted and I want to encourage her, but dentist toys are a little hard to come by. Luckily, I won't have to scour the Internet…
Still looking for a few last minute gifts for the family? Clearly we're crazy, mad, marry-us-in-Vegas in love with Etsy and all the wonderful artists and crafters we've discovered there. That's why today, on Etsy's The Storque blog, we'v…
It's official. Despite best efforts, I'm in full-blown gift panic mode... but only for the men in my life. My husband, dad, and brother are all tough cookies when it comes to presents. They all have something in common, though: the love …
My daughter's first finger paintings brought tears to my eyes. "My God, she's talented!" I told my husband. I knew I was being that stereotypical overly proud parent, but her use of color was so unexpected. Really! There is something so …
I'm still poking around etsy these days for some last-minute stocking stuffers, although in my world, 9 days til Christmas is far from last-minute. CMP fave Dana Marie Hosler of GreenStarStudio always has something nifty and new, and tod…
When I was little, getting useful gifts was always a huge bummer. Then again, my Great Aunt Hilda usually went for the half-price, open-package soap-and-undies combo pack at KMart. True story: One time, they even had World's Best Love r …
One year, I got my mom an electronic photo album for her holiday gift . Well, that was a flop. She told me she really wanted a regular photo book of her grandkids, just like I gave her the year before. But, I like to complicate things! S…
I know that this year I'm going to end up with a bunch of kids I've forgotten about on my holiday list, so I try to amass a repertoire of fun, not too expensive gifts to keep on standby. If they don't get given out this month, there's al…
We're now formally in the "handing-someone-a-bottle-of wine" season, and while most of us can simply stick a bow on it and pass it on, there are times when that bottle needs a little more oomph than a plain brown paper bag or a crinkled …
I do the vast majority of my communicating via email but I still love sending and receiving handwritten notes , opening a really cool party invitation or getting an almost-too-nice-to-write-on notepad for my desk. (Don't worry, I'll writ…
Those of us who grew up on author S.E. Hinton's books like The Outsiders , Tex , and Rumble Fish , might be interested to know that she's got a new book out for the next generation. Actually, a graphic novel. And if you have a middle gra…
Oh sure, I try to be all nonchalant at this time of year: Christmas cards? I'll get to them! Wrapping? I have weeks! But, don't let my cool exterior fool you. I am quaking as the clock ticks down to Christmas . But before I tackle my nev…