Notepads Perfect For Kids. And Narcissists.
Mommytrack'd Helps Gets Moms Back On Track
When a product is presented as the "Ultimate Family Organizer" it's setting the bar pretty high. You nearly expect it to come with a personal assistant and three more hours in the day
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Thomas Paul: From Wallpaper of the Rich and Famous to the Pencil Holders of the Cluttered and Not-So-Famous
With Mother's Day on the horizon, there is definitely one gift you do not need and that's a World's Greatest Mom mouse pad. Or pencil holder. Or stationery.
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Let the Mommy Cards Do the Talking
If you'd rather pick up playdates in style, check out the mommy cards from...Mommy Cards.
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Don't Forget
Do you consider yourself brilliant and utterly intelligent? How about busy? And forgetful? If so, then we have found the to-do list for you.
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Family Photo Sorting Help, Just In Time for Mother's Day
Inspired to tackle our own mess of family photos for the benefit of the next generation, we're counting on CatchMyMemory to help get the job done.
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Bring it On, IRS
Even with my own invented envelope system, I still find myself swimming in a sea of receipts and records when it comes time to file my tax return. So when I heard the organizational gurus from Buttoned Up had put together a tax filing system, I had to take a look.
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There's a Reason This Baby Organizer is Called Essential
If the Easter Bunny Used Labels
As the mom of two little ones these days, I'm probably not going to go overboard with the Easter baskets. But the fantastic Easter tags from Tattered Tags, a paper shop owned by designer Brooke Campbell, almost make me want to go big.
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And the Seasons, They Grow Round and Round
My philosophy is if you're still looking for a desk calendar in late February, then you're the type who needs one the most. Take this Plantable Eco Calendar found at the Olive Barn.
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The Journey to Adoption Just Got More Beautiful
While adoptive parents can certainly document their child's first steps, first foods, and first booger-flnging incident like any other, the baby book pages about prepartum cravings can be a little awkward in their emptiness.
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Make-Your-Own Valentine
Upon scoping out the selection of Valentine's Day cards at our local card shop, I was nearly eaten alive by the sea of licensed characters professing their love. Eek!
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I Want to Be the Girl With the Most Cake
The sigOth and I had this great idea to save all of our daughter's birthday hats, ostensibly to watch the progression from Elmo to Diego to Toodee, if one day Yo Gabba Gabba licenses their characters to party supplies.
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Little Details Making a Big Difference
My husband decided to invite a few more people than I had intended (um, that would be none) to my son's first birthday celebration. Instead of freaking out and slapping together some terrible goody bag...
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Pulp Non-Fiction
You'd think it would be easy to shop for a newly pregnant woman, but it's harder than it seems. Especially if you don't know whether the mama-to-be would prefer a pedicure or that everyone just leave her alone and stop touching her, dammit!
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Details, Details
Much to some people's surprise, I'm a fairly crafty person. That's not to say you'll see me making my son a commemorative first birthday quilt or anything, but I do what I can to add personalized touches for parties and special occasions.
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Gift Wrap Without the Guilt
If you've been around the web anytime in the last few weeks you'd know there are eco gift guides galore. But I always have to snicker at the idea of some biodegradable hemp-based lipstick (or whatever) beautifully gift wrapped in one-time use paper.
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Killing Three Baby Books With One Stone
Was it just me or is it every pregnant mom's shower nightmare to get fourteen cutesie baby books that haunt you, unused, from your closet months after your baby is born.
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Because a Whole Lot of Kids Think That Christmas Celebrates the Birth of Santa
You might want to skip this pick if you left your sense of humor at the office, because this is quite possibly the holiday item that's made us all laugh the loudest this year.
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Next Stop, Oprah's Book Club
I have yet to nail down the perfect way to effectively collect and display my daughter's massive amounts of artwork. But then I found Little Author, an awesome mom and dad-run business that will take your kid's artwork and turn it into a real live book.
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Gifts That Make You Wish You Had Cooler Friends
Each holiday season, I make sure to stock up on a box full of emergency hostess and holiday gifts. They're the kinds of things you can pretty much give to anyone when you get a last minute invite, or--horror of all horrors--someone hands you a gift and you haven't reciprocated.
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The Modern Family Tree
Sometimes you just want a little something to send to a new parent, something with a Cool Quotient that exceeds the price tag. We've found that very thing in the limited edition Fill-in-the-Blank Family Tree.
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Keeping the Boogeyman At Bay
So what do you do when you and your sweet little fairy princess or pea pod or happy clown run to answer the door tonight only to find...17 year-old trick or treaters wielding bloody machetes?
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And Then There Was The Time I Barfed On My Boss...
While I spend a whole lot of my life online, I understand that not every mother does. In fact, there are some pregnant women who actually (gasp!) don't have blogs. So how's a expecting mama to keep track of all those memories?
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Scribble Me This
If I have to draw one more cat or tree or apple on demand for my daughter, I think I might just lose it. Let's just say I'm best equipped for being the guesser at Pictionary. But thanks to Taro Gomi's amazing Scribbles: A Really Giant Coloring and Drawing Book, I've been totally off the hook.
Give Me Clarity
No matter how many electronic organizers they come up with, I'm still a pen and paper kind of girl. We've pointed out a few great multi-schedule organizers for moms, and now we've found another we're liking a lot.
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Taming Food Allergies
Ever since I learned about my niece's egg allergy, I've been on the lookout for helpful products and services to help her mama out.
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No Trees Were Harmed in the Making of This Trite Screenplay Idea
I'm a journal whore. I cannot have enough blank books in every room of my house, just waiting for me to jot down inspired nuggets of brilliance, poetic stanzas, novel starters, effervescent bon mots. Or a shopping list that identifies that that I'm out of Pledge.
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Get In Mah Belly!
Like many dutiful first time mothers, I took pictures of my growing belly (and unfortunately, thighs and butt) every month until I had my daughter. But what exactly are you supposed to do with those photos? And don't say "screen saver."
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Stuck on Stickers
My daughter has officially reached that very important developmental milestone known as the sticker age. If it's got an adhesive back, then to her it's the single greatest thing since ice cream--Scotch tape included.
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Ever since I was introduced to Like You Needed Another Reason to Buy More Books
At the request of my husband, I have curtailed my purchases of hordes of children's books for my avid little reader. And while being relegated to the library isn't such a bad thing, there's something about a crisp new book that I just can't let go of.
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Sealed With a Goose
Nothing says "last minute afterthought" than a present in a regifted gift bag. Believe me, I was the worst offender. But since having children, there's just something about watching a little one tear through a nicely wrapped package that warms my heart.
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Because New Dads Are in For The Shock of a Lifetime Too
It seems that poor dads-to-be get shafted in the baby gifts department. Sure, maybe they're not so into opening up cute onesies or the softest burp cloths, but that doesn't mean the dads don't deserve a little token too come shower time.
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Showing Off the Kiddos, Old School
With the digital age upon us, there's no shortage of pictures of my kids. But unless I want to my friends huddling around my laptop, there's no actual enjoyment of my handiwork (the kids and the photos) to be had. I think it's high time I develop a few of the photos and get an album that's just as beautiful as the kids inside.
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Making Grandma's (Mothers') Day
I am not a diy-er, crafter, Martha-in-training, or whatever you want to call people who have the genius ability to make things that don't look, well, like they made them. This is not a big deal until my own mother gets on the phone and tells me to "make her something" for Mother's Day. And I don't think she's referring to the new grandbaby on the way.
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She Works Hard for the Money So You Better Treat Her Right
One of the hardest aspects of being a working mom is that first day back to work after maternity leave. All things being equal, most of us would rather be at home wiping bums than at the office with our noses up one. Or at least for a few more months.
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Maternity Clothes Guaranteed to Fit
Making Even the Most Disorganized Mom Look Put Together
Having a baby can even the most organized of mothers a run for their money. And save having a personal assistant, it seems like it's a common known fact that moms just aren't going to be able to keep everything together as well as they did pre-kiddo.
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Where is the Love? Right Here, In this Book
I've got a few friends involved in adoptions these days and I've gotta say, it's really hard to find the perfect gift. I love the idea of something unique to their circumstances, but not all of them are the types to wear an "I'm an adoptive parent" tee shirt either. Then I stumbled across the Adoption Book and I thought, aha! That's it!
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Feeling Groovy, We Hope
My first child, I'm fortunate to say, is healthy as a horse. But my second child: Ear infections up the wazoo. Even though there wasn't a ton of medical info to keep track of, especially compared with children with real illnesses, there are many times I wish I'd written down what that Motrin dosage was or which antibiotic had her spewing fluids from both ends.
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Say Goodbye to Preggo Brain
With all the hormones rushing through my body and my brain cells being sucked away by the minute, there's no way I could possibly keep up with everything that goes along with having a baby. OB check-up stats? Baby Registry? Daycare interview? Ack!
Not Just Any Book Will Do
The lovely yet ill-conceived baby book is almost a guaranteed shower gift. While we all love to keep track of the milestones as best we can, let's be honest, those early days are exhausting. If you're going to spend the energy keeping track of details, it's not going to be things like "the outfit baby wore on her sixth day" or "the date he got his fourteenth tooth"
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Brag Smaller
I'm not a brag book kind of gal. It's not that I don't love showing off pics of my daughter--just ask anyone who's ever come within six inches of me over the past year--it's that I don't need yet one more big thing to weigh down my already overloaded bag.
On My To-Do List: 1) Find a Better To-Do List
Are you a member of the scrap paper/atm receipt/used envelope scribblers club? The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. And considering my husband has a penchant for throwing away any piece of paper that is not attached to a spiral binding, I'm in desperate need of some list therapy.
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No More Ring Around the Coffee Table
There were a few precious pieces of furniture we sacrificed after having kids, but our gorgeous coffee table? No way.
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Journal-ist
While every new mom-to-be has an insane list of things she needs (wipe warmers not withstanding), there's nothing cooler than getting her something she needs but doesn't yet know she needs.
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Everything I Needed to Know About Parenthood I Learned from a Cocktail Napkin
In honor of today's Cinquo de Mayo festivities, we scoured the web for a pop culture pinata or a designer sombrero. Just some little knick-knack or doodad, that we might pay homage to one of the most underrated holidays outside your local Chili's.
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Win It!
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Congrats to April winner Amy L
cmp book club
If you think Madysynne is bad, this list of real names will have you equally howling and cringing.
Check out more CMP approved reads at our new book club!
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Ask Cool Mom Picks
I have been searching for a photo album or scrapbook that is NOT in the classic style you see everywhere that's either pink and fluffy or traditional leather. Any ideas? -Sarah
Googling "photo albums" can definitely lead to very bad things. We always find cool stuff at Zanisa and we like the Molly West books at Chittypulga.
But lately we really dig the handmade wooden albums from Tree by Kerri Lee [pictured] with metal hinges and the funky wooden ring and strap. And the prices are terrific.
Got a gift dilemma? A shopping conundrum? Write to CMP at info@coolmompicks.com.
CMP Flickr Group
CMP reader Sarah's daughter Alli looks cozy and snug in her Baby Bisou Carrier.
Have a picture of your little one (or yourself) in a Cool Mom Picks find or prize you've won? Join our Flickr group so we can show off your good taste to the world.
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