My parents' kitchen is entirely black and white, so whenever I see a standout piece, I have to pick it up for my mom. I'm hoping that my recent finds in the Stockholm kitchen accessories collection from Rosanna Inc. will have me in the r…
If you have had a fantastic summer weekend host, a memorable visit with relatives, or some other cause to send a little thank you gift to commemorate the experience, consider the new Summertime book by Joanne Dugan a terrific option. Edi…
I used to be a journal junkie, until time and obligations got in the way of collecting my deep thoughts and poetry on paper. So I can see why our Cool Mom Tech team is going nuts for the new ecojot Connect journals which let you turn you…
I find it's always a good idea to have a few nice hostess gifts stashed away in the hall closet in case of last-minute dinner party invitations or weekend plans. I do this with kids' birthday presents too, and it makes life so much easie…
Tomorrow is National Mustard Day. And yes, I know, it seems like there's a holiday for every darn food on the planet (National Aqua Jellybean Day, anyone?) but this is one I can get behind. First, you must know that growing up in my fami…
I don't have much space on my kitchen walls these days (I blame it on that folder that comes home on the last day of school filled with more art than my kids could have possibly created in only one year). But if I did, I know exactly wha…
If you're pining for more Game of Thrones like I am (can't it just run every week for forever?) at least now there's a way to drown your sorrows with the Wines of Westeros . Created as a fan project by Australian ad agency agency Common …
I'm a sucker for cool serving dishes, and right now I'm loving these handmade ceramic bowls from Marina Marinski at her Etsy shop, Marinksi Handmades . Marina's engraved illustrations are whimsical and seriously cool. Don't they kind of …
When you think tea, you think Mr. T, right? Smooth, powerful, totally in control of a rainy afternoon next to the sleeping cat, B.A. Baracus pities the fool who doesn't enjoy a nice cuppa. This Mr. Tea Tea Set for One from Squackdoodle o…
As I approach 35, I realize that I need to face the facts: I am a full-on grown-up. But as I look around our house, I realize that some of our decor and family habits don't reflect this fact. Knowing that I want to be the family with the…
We always have so much fun discovering new artists, and one of our recent finds is Cheeky Monkey Home . Her handmade pillows are the kinds that just require one to make a whole room. And they're made with such exquisite detail, they're t…
I'm currently trying to stage a ban on plastic (probably not ideal for our health) and paper (definitely not ideal for the environment) cups from our household. So when I saw the newest launch from Lifefactory -- durable drinking glasses…
Confession: If I don't have a hostess gift , the first place I look is the cabinet full of wine bottles I have received as hostess gifts myself. Sure, it looks like a fine, old vintage--but that's because I haven't had a party since 2005…
I love when vintage books are given new life, and I found that very thing in these gorgeous handmade recycled book journals from Renovated Books on Etsy. They're made by carefully pulling apart old and rare books and recombining them wit…
I am a sucker for kitsch, as long as it's clever. My apartment is filled with funky knick-knacks that I believe add to its charming--or what my mother likes to call "eclectic"-- style, so these witty coastal Reed Wilson Design coasters a…
By now it's no surprise that we're huge fans of MOUTH , a rocking online indie food marketplace where you can get anything from an edible gold chocolate Jesus to a gourmet food subscription filled with artisanal goodies like pickles or c…
Our neighborhood pool has a strict no-glass policy, which is why I’m excited about the portable wine bags from Wine2Go. I get that glass, concrete and bare feet are a dangerous mix, but relaxing by a moonlit pool after a long day while m…
As my family's Petronella Cottontail, I'm here to tell you that grown-ups like Easter treats, too. Gourmet Eater treats, ideall. My kids can keep the Peeps and cheap candy eggs nestled in plastic grass, while I stick with the fancy stuff…
I finally understand the benefit of those embossed, custom rolling pins. I love to bake for my family, especially a yummy batch of homemade cookies, but it all turns tragic when I try to decorate them. As in, my kids aren't quite sure if…
In years past, we've strongly suggested that you bring chocolate covered matzah as a gift to your seder hosts. Why is this Passover different from all other Passovers? Because this time, I say you keep this Chocolate Buttercrunch Matzah …
Hostess gift season is upon us big time, and this has always been one of my favorite kinds of gifts to track down. Just look at our Hostess Gifts Pinterest board which is already filling up with fun new ideas ; something about making sur…
As you might already know, we're huge Etsy fans around here. Huge! So how thrilling to be invited as one of their new Etsy Page tastemakers along with some of our very own favorite design and lifestyle bloggers. Click over to the Cool Mo…
Should you be lucky enough to score a Fourth of July party invite somewhere in the vicinity of fireworks--or better yet, a whole weekend at a beach house (can you tell I'm dreaming of this?)--we've got a host of star-themed hostess gifts…
We've officially entered hostess gift season, which happens to coincide with fresh produce season season. Which gives me an awesome idea. Visit Ross Lab on Etsy for this gorgeous made-to-order, handmade ceramic berry colander and then hi…