Here at Cookie, we wouldn't say we're addicted to our computers, but we do like them an awful lot. From reading blogs to shopping on etsy, we feel more grown-up (and less drool-stained) when we're surfing the web. But for little dudes, computers aren't as exciting. Enter Minimoo. Their flash drives dressed in sheep's (and other zoo animal's) clothing not only save your documents, but also make your computer look more kid-friendly. Each are available in 1, 2 or 4 Gb. (P.S. Don't be too shocked by the prices. In Swedish currency, "275" equals about $45.)

Freddy&Ma understands that it's hard to find a throw pillow in the right pattern and size for your needs. This is why you can go on their site and choose from hundreds of prints and three different shapes and sizes and construct your dream pillow. Bonus: the filling is eco-friendly, and the covers are removable and machine washable (gentle cycle).

If there is such a thing as falling in love with a knitted pouffe kidstool, we just did. How adorable and sculptural at the same time! It is handcrafted from soft, crocheted cotton and made with a sturdy stand. Perfect for sitting, playing, or putting your feet up on. Dancing around it is optional.

Marisa Kula Mercer, mother of Sabine, 9 months, and co-owner of organic-bedding line Plover, rarely buys brand-new things. "There's just more interesting vintage stuff to be found out there, and it's the ultimate in recycling." When she and her husband do find a gem at a flea market, they manage to seamlessly fit it in with other eclectic pieces in their Oregon home.

Tell us about your living room. Love that groovy red couch!
My family spends a lot of time in the living room. My husband and I fell in love with the red Natuzzi couch as soon as we saw it. We thought it was the perfect piece to build the rest of the room around. The plain brown throw pillows are from Ikea, and the Brown Leaves pillow is Plover. I would actually like to have more pillows around because we use them for so many things: propping up the baby, sitting by the fire, lying around.

Love that big white hand on the shelf. What's the story?
The white hand sculpture is something we found at a store in Portland called
Rejuvenation. They sell salvaged and restored home hardware, and we are there once a week combing through everything. The hand was actually used for fitting gloves.

Where did you get that great cat?
My husband loves to find weird little things. The cat is actually an acupuncture model he bought online. It's kind of special because my husband rarely buys knickknacks (unless they're at Goodwill!) He has a way of finding them, or they're given as gifts. Most of the other figurines in the cabinet are things he found buried in the yard of our house.

What's your favorite vintage find in the nursery?
Her cowhide rocking chair. The seat is almost worn through, which is priceless. I also found the big blue chair at a local thrift shop, and it's the most comfortable seat in the house for reading books and breastfeeding. I can't wait to recover it in a Plover print! Her little baby bongos are also from our neighborhood Goodwill. My husband found those, along with a child's violin, when I was only a few months pregnant. So she's set for musical instruments!

How did you round out the rest of the baby's room?
I painted that 60s-style blue when the room was my office, and we loved it so much we left it there for the nursery. The crib and the rug are both from Ikea. That was the simplest, least tacky crib I could find, and it's made from sustainable wood. The rug is 100% wool, which is all I would put in her room. I love decorating her room because there's more freedom to play around than in the rest of the house. Plover's crib bedding comes out in Fall 2008, and I can't wait. For now, I just use our baby quilt in her crib, and  I keep a stack of Plover euro pillows on the floor in her room. I prop them up around her so she always has something soft to fall on.

These drawings are so interesting. Are there stories behind them?
The black-and-white artwork on her wall is from her uncle Rob's sketchbook. They were early drawings for the last Shins record cover, Wincing the Night Away, which Rob designed. He and Sheila framed them for us last Christmas, and since Sabine was cooking about the same time that record was, it made sense to hang it in her room.

What about the framed art?
The three framed pieces hanging together are copies of the artist Jen Corace's work. They are so sweet in a little girl's room. My husband put them in frames from Goodwill.

Childrens' clothing designer (and Cookie's contributing editor) Lucy Sykes is now designing bedding for Nurseryworks. If you haven't seen it yet, the cute styles are definitely worth perusing.

For more on Sykes and her family, check this out.

Always the resource for playful modern design, The Conran Shop just started carrying this fantastic mobile designed by Trousselier. The colorful polyester bunnies will make both you and baby smile. Call (866) 755-9079 for ordering information.

And, see more of our favorite modern mobiles here.

Michelle Reeb, a mother of two, detests clutter. "In fact, I hate any object that doesn't have a specific role," she says. So it makes sense that the Berlin apartment she shares with her husband and two children is an airy space where every object adds either function or beauty. As we head into spring--and spring cleaning--we're inspired by Michelle's simple furnishings and artistic touches. "I like not owning much stuff," she tells us, "but I treasure the things I have." Funny--we do, too.


Can you tell us about your kids?
We have two energetic kids. Quentin Jasper (he thinks the name Jasper sounds like cheese, so he doesn't like it) just turned five, and Stella Jean-Marie is two and a half.

Where do you live?
The southwest part of Berlin. It has cute corners and is near the free (can you believe it?) American school.

Have you always lived in Germany?
My husband is French, and we actually met at the art academy in Strasbourg. After living in New York for ten years, we moved to Berlin a year ago. I miss New York, but it's hard to think about the apartment sizes we had then versus the apartment sizes we have now.

What a great polaroid display. Did you take them?
They're by my husband Sacha. He collects old Polaroid cameras.

What a great reading nook!
We all love it. Guests often take a seat there if we're busy with the kids or cooking; then it doesn't feel awkward.

Do you use the Eames rocker to breastfeed? Some moms say it doesn't provide enough neck support.
During the day, it's fine since you want to look at your cute baby. Other moms might have a point about the headrest--nonetheless, I would never put an actual breastfeeding chair from BuyBuyBaby in my house! It's a matter of priority, I guess.

Where did you get this magazine rack?
When I lived in New York, I liked the bookshelves at Poseman bookstore. When they went out of business, I asked if I could buy the shelves. I have a subscription to Dwell to ease homesickness for the States.

Where did you get your dining table?
The table is from IKEA, believe it or not. I'm extremely happy with it, because I don't care what the kids do with it. The chairs are from Stokke, and the stools are from The Museum Stool. They're stackable since you're meant to carry them around a museum while attending a lecture.

What do you usually eat for dinner?
Sacha loves making roasts, and we eat salads like rabbits. I used to date an Italian guy so I credit him with my knowledge of pasta and risotto. We don't eat much German food. There's so much pork here; it's weird.

Why did you put mirrors in the dining room?
I like the idea of being able to see yourself during dinner, as well as the reflection of the light from the window or candles.

What's your son interested in? I sense dinosaurs, maps...
He loves anything related to travel, adventure and first and foremost storytelling. He's capable of telling a random stranger sitting next to us on a plane the whole contents of New Hope without taking a breath.

What books do you read together?
The No David series is a big favorite. Quentin likes Dr. Suess and the Tintin series, especially ones involving rockets.

What language do your children speak?
In New York, we were raising them bilingual English/French, and we didn't think we could handle an extra language. But now they're both picking up German. Watching a kid learn a language is really amazing. Quentin is pretty much there in just one year--crazy.

What do your kids do at this table?
They paint, color, do puzzles, set up the train, play lego...anything really.

Great tricycle. Do your children ride it inside?
My daughter rides it, plus we have two push bikes. The favorite activity when friends are over is to do a figure-eight through the living, dining room and hallway. Our downstairs neighbor did complain once...

Do your kids use this ruler?
We have measuring rituals. They're very proud to see their progress and it inspires them to eat vegetables. I found the ruler on the blog swissmiss. It's from Pottery Barn, believe it or not.

Where did you find the orange bookshelves?
From DWR. I put a nightlight in it, which makes a nice light during bedtime. I usually don't go for such strong colors, but I felt guilty because I figured my kids needed some color!

Can you tell us about the mobile above the crib?
My sister made paper flowers for her daughter's birthday, and when she offered to make some for me, they had to be white. I really like white on white.

You've created amazing decor in a small place. What advice do you have about maximizing your space?
Adjust things daily if necessary. I believe there's a perfect balance to be found in the way you arrange a room that feels "right." Not having too much stuff helps, too.

How are your children getting along so far?
It's your pretty average love/hate relationship, although more love for sure. They're both very tactile and like a lot of hugging and kissing, so they do that, but there's the occasional push and shove. When Stella is napping, Quentin usually can't wait for her to wake up.

We like all things British--fish and chips, Cadbury's chocolate, Hugh Grant. But, most of all, we love the kids shop Luxeville with its simple designs and quirky humor. The owners were kind enough to give us a sneak peek at three new wares, available on March 3rd.

Adorable ape hangers for your little monkey's clothes.

Decorate Your Own Brownstone. (We wish!)

The pint-sized Pearl chair, with a shy little smile.

Since we're on a life-in-miniature kick this month (check out our readers' dollhouses and DIY dollhouse if you missed them), of course we were drawn to this post on Ohdeedoh. Photographer Michael Williams created a dollhouse homage to Jonathan Adler for Barbie and friends. The detail is crazy! See the full post for more images.

In the magazine this month, we wrote about displaying kids' collections--from rocks to feathers to Pez dispensers. But what about their artwork? Here, seven Cookie readers reveal how they show off their children's mini masterpieces....

My son did this self-portrait in kindergarten, and I just love it! I covered the back of a shadow box with fabric and mounted the drawing on a tiny piece of foam core for dimension.
-- Melissa from New Jersey.

My favorite thing ever is a heart my son Ethan cut out for me. I stuck it in a bottle in my bathroom, and it makes me smile every time I brush my teeth. In Lily's room, I tacked ribbon to the wall for a rotating display of her smaller masterpieces, which she loves to gaze at from her bed. -- Lynne from northern California.

I got the idea to hang pictures with colored tape from an artist who does something similar with his own art. Emma and Theo help me hang the most interesting artwork on our blue kitchen wall. Then I take pictures of them and post them on Emma's flickr site. We like the look of the wall with many paintings and blue tape. -- Christine from New York.

We run picture wire down our hallway for an ever-changing gallery of the girls' work. -- Tracy from Los Angeles.

I buy canvas (sturdy and reliable) and decorate my "blah" bathroom with my children's colorful art. -- Stephanie from Arizona.

My son Ruben painted this with a friend when he was about two. He'll be four next month and it has hung on the wall for all that time! It has become part of the house. He accepts that his painting has a right to a prominent position and affection. -- Alex from London.

And we love how Stephanie from Portland displays her kids' art on a bulletin board above their drawing desk. Thank you, moms and little artists....

For more great ways to store and display your kids' artwork, click here.

We're hoping the perch! lunchbox birdfeeder will make Spring come a little sooner this year. Handmade from white earthenware, it's a gorgeous modern take on a backyard staple.

Having difficulties with limited space in your kids bedroom? FLEXA, a Danish kids furniture brand offers a variety of versatile bed system that convert regular beds into low loft beds, L-shaped bunk beds, parallel bunk beds or even triple bunk beds by adding simple additions.

Take the FLEXA Low Loft Bed for example. It is fantastic for those wanting to gain extra floor space. Add easy storage under your bed or to the side, add a desk to create a great study. Mix and match with colorful textiles to create a cool, modern kids room.

All their furniture is made from Solid Nordic Pine which is grown north of the 60th parallel in Flexa's own forests. All basic wood components are available in 2 finishes: clear and white-wash.

If you are looking for something a little bit more playful, check out the Castle Bed, a low loft bed with a slide which includes the blue/red tower and curtains. Or for little princesses, Flexa offers the Princess Inspiration Bed.

And for more great bunk beds, check out our slideshow.

When we were kids, dollhouses were a pretty normal affair. They looked suburban with a kitchen table, a bed and a few little dolls. But nowadays, dollhouses around the world are brilliant odes to Pippi Longstocking, Frida Kahlo and even Legos! Here are a few from our readers... (Click here to submit your own photos.)

I found this Pippi Longstocking dollhouse in a local toy shop. It has all the characters, including Pippi and her horse and monkey. My daughter loves Pippi and even has a wig so she can dress up like her. -- Kristina from Denmark.

I made this Frida Kahlo dollhouse for my daughter Natalie. Frida Kahlo had a life full of physical and emotional pain but never stopped creating or lost her sense of humor. I wanted Natalie to know about this extraordinary woman as soon as possible. -- Elsita from Los Angeles.

We added a box to my son Jack's LEGO set. One great thing about homemade constructions is that there's no guilt when they're no longer played with. They're also the ultimate green choice--don't buy new, don't buy at all! Make something out of recycled materials, which can be recycled again when you're finished. -- Lori from Illinois.

I decided to build Juniper a dollhouse that resembled our own home, a Mies van der Rohe shoe box....All in all, the dollhouse cost me about $15 to make, including screws....I love it when minimalist taste, thrift, and complete lack of craftsmanship all come together to form a happy trifecta....What I like about dollhouses is that they are spaces designed solely for a kid's imagination. She lands airplanes on the roof and lets Wild Things climb the stairs. -- Dutch from Detroit.

- Do you wanna play with us, Mum?

- Not now.

- We could build dollhouses!

- Okay, I'm with you, coming!

-- Elisabeth from Sweden.

This dollhouse is actually an Ikea Bonde bookcase. I collect Blythe dolls, so this is their backdrop. I also plan on adding wallpaper made from scrap paper or gift wrap. -- Sarah from Nashville, via our friends at Apartment Therapy.

Want more? Check out this ingenious DIY dollhouse from Cookie's market editor, Meryl Levin.

Submit photos of your own dollhouse.

Since she knows catalogs are last on the priority list when it comes to the mountain of mail, Cookie's market editor, Meryl Levin, gives her top five picks from the new West Elm catalog.

1. Angled Leg Expandable table, $449
"This design is so brilliant--it evokes the chunky feel of an old farmhouse table, but with a strong contemporary silhouette. Plus it expands for dinner parties."

2. Overlapping Square chairs in Mushroom and Saffron, $179 each
"I love these two new finishes offered on their graphic dining chair. The orange is especially fun, but still feels sophisticated when paired with the flax-colored cushions."

3. Wire Base table lamp, $99 
"This lamp is so original and refreshing. It packs such a strong visual punch, but still feels light and airy so it can work almost anywhere."

One of our favorite new trends in tabletop is silhouette plates. Always striking, whether graphic and modern or retro and funky, these plates will pop next to your other white dishes. Here are some of the best for any budget.

SPLURGE:

Garner Motif Platters by Rosenthal, $125, (800) 804-8070 for ordering information

STEAL:

Boy/Girl Dinnerware by Christopher Jagmin Design, $48-50 for two plates

Umbrella Girl by Rust Designs, $20

Blogger Kristina Karkov lives in a small town in Denmark, but she has friends all over the world. Through her blog, she has connected with other artists, painters and mothers--so much so, that her home is filled with their artwork. Let's take a look inside....

Can you tell us about your house?
I live in a small apartment with my two kids. It's about 950 square feet, plus a small balcony. It's been quite change coming from a house with a garden, but we enjoy having everything "within reach."

How do you maximize the space?
I keep furniture up against the walls, to allow as much floor space as possible. I also keep rooms white with splashes of color.

Tell us about your bookshelves.
I'm so pleased with them. They bring life to the room and show who I am. Craft books show my style. Travel books show places I visit. Cookbooks show what I eat. Parenting books tell about my "parenting" style, and so forth.

Where did you find the art in your living room?
Through blogging! The paintings are my own work, but the other art is: The owl linocuts by Jackie at Littlest Flower; two ink drawings by Shannon at Aunty Cookie, and my kids' art. The sofa is the IKEA Ektorp corner sofa bed.

What about the white lights?
I hung those Christmas lights in December, but they're so cozy, I don't want to take them down.

Are you a big magazine reader?
I'm such an addict! My favorite is Boligliv, a Danish magazine that matches my style perfectly. The French MILK magazine is also super inspiring.

Can you tell us about the two suitcases?
One used to be my granddad's brother's. His name was Knud Karkov and it says "K. Karkov" on the side, which, to me, also means "Kristina Karkov"! The other was my great-grandma's "America" suitcase, which she brought to the U.S. back in the day. I've always had a thing for the States and hopefully one day I can bring the suitcase back there.

Where did you find these chairs?
I bought the two Corbusier dining chairs in Denmark. The fur throws are perhaps a Northern thing because it's a bit cold up here. They give cozyness to our gray days.

What pretty ceramics on the window.
Yes, I love my Fiducia vase, which was designed by Louise Campbell. I got it as a "moving in" present for myself.

Can you tell us about your son?
Calvin is seven. He's a quiet little guy who's into rocks, dinosaurs, plush toys, experiments and building weird things out of cardboard.

I can tell he's into dinosaurs. How do you approach the decor of your children's rooms?
I try to decorate with their little personalities in mind, thinking about what they like and how their toys will be the most accessible, while still being pleasing to my eyes. I like to make "adult furniture" work in kids' rooms.

What's your daughter like?
Lupina will be four in May. She is into singing, dancing and having tea parties. She and her brother are opposites.

What is it about little girls that make them love pink so much?
I don't know, why do we? [Laughs.] Lupina decided that her bed should be pink, and I took it from there.

Who's the funny pink creature on the wall?
Barbapapa! He's French but very popular in Denmark. I remember him from my childhood--from books, cartoons and little figurines.

I've seen that red horse around the web. Do your kids like it?
His name is Rody, and both kids love jumping on him.

What inspires you?
There are so many amazing people out there, it almost freaks me out. For arts, I love Norwegian painter Olav Christopher Jenssen; Veronique Lafont and Donna Wilson's creatures. After seeing a documentary on American photographer Sally Mann, I was stunned! For fashion, Jenny at Wiksten-Made has great taste.

Do you consider other bloggers to be friends?
I have "real" friendships with people all over the world. We comment and email regularly, and I get lots of support from the blogging community. I've met fellow bloggers in real life--Mette and Annu; Emma is also a special friend, and I hope we meet very soon.

Nesting reader Andrea (of For Me, For You fame) bought a lovely pair of Danish chairs last summer. But when she decided to create new cushions, she discovered that the local upholstery shop would charge $760. "I told them that I had to think about it," remembers Andrea, "but I was really thinking, 'I'm never coming back, I'd rather sit my butt on the hideous tweed they are now.'" Here, here!

Luckily, after a bit of research, Andrea found out that IKEA sold similarly sized pillows. A quick trip to the store elicited two yellow and two white pillows. "I'm quite pleased with the result," she says. But the best part? "The total was $160."
(See our previous chair makeover here.)

Love these sweet screen-printed pieces from Alena Hennessy. Each is 14x14, stretched over wooden bars, and ready to go up on the wall. They're also completely green--made of woven organic cotton and earth-friendly inks. Stretched canvasses are perfect for kids' rooms because they're glass-free and lightweight, but these designs would look fantastic in just about any room.

Yet another contender for the "Why didn't anyone think of this sooner?" award: the Amana Jot refrigerator. The finish on the door panel allows you to write on it with dry erase markers (it comes with two from Crayola), but it is also still magnetic to hang more permanent reminders and works of art. Smart and just $549.

Check out our other ideas for making your kitchen kid-friendly.

Our friends at Design*Sponge posted a fantastic idea for a nontraditional Valentine's Day gift. Using glass etching cream, they created a modern take on the ship in the bottle that would look fantastic on a bookshelf. (As a bonus, roll up a love letter and pop it inside.) Check out their full post for instructions.

FLOR throws its hat (or stone) into kids' games with the Hopscotch rug . These numbered rug tiles will turn any hallway into an instant fun zone, for big and small. Go with the classic layout or arrange them anyway you like. What a great idea!

And, if you simply can't wait to play hopscotch indoors, try this idea from our March issue: colorful electrical tape from your local hardware store.

In our March issue (making its way to mailboxes and newsstands right now), Cookie's market editor, Meryl Levin, describes how she made a dollhouse for her niece out of foam core board. She put graphic wrapping paper on the walls, cut clocks and pictures of out of catalogs and "framed" them with Sharpie, and her niece filled the rooms with her own toys. Not only is it almost as fun to personalize as to play with, it also stores flat, and can even travel with her to Grandma's house! If you want to try this yourself, here's how Meryl did it (use the diagram below as a reference):

1. Start with a piece of 20"x30" foam core board (a standard size at art-supply stores), and using a box cutter and a T-square or yardstick, cut 10 inches off of the longer end to make a 20"x20" square.

2. Cut the board horizontally right across the middle to create two 10"x20" rectangles.

3. Measure 10 inches across the bottom of one rectangle, and cut a notch 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches tall. At the top of the second rectangle, make a notch the same size.

4. At the bottom of both rectangles, measure 4 1/2 inches from both ends, and cut doorways 2 inches wide and 5 inches tall.

5. Slide the notches into each other to form the x-shaped house.

Cookie reader Nicole Hill from A Little Sussy takes photos of children (and sometimes, yawn, grown-ups) for a living. When she was decorating her nursery-themed photo studio, she stenciled apples and pears onto paper for this lovely artwork. What an easy project for kids--and the result is so fresh and beautiful, you can almost taste it.

"In the winter, my daughter's room gets really dark and depressing. Instead of adding more permanent light or a big floor lamp, I just want to find a little something for the top of her dresser. Help?" -- Sara, Louisville, Ky.

Here's a smattering of some of our favorites to inspire (from left):

MyPet Lamp Terri Bear, $59, Offi, 2modern
Phantom Table Lamp, $100, CB2
MINI Table Lamp, $15, EQ3
Basisk Table Lamp, $13, Ikea
Shroom Light, $80, Mio
Velo Lamp, $78, Chiasso

Photograph by Philip Ficks

We thought babies couldn't get any cuter, but it turns out they can. Imagine your little dude in one of these BabyRocksMohawks hats--from bunny ears to swirls to mohawks. They also take custom orders for extra-special requests. We're thinking an 80's perm?

"When I moved into an apartment with a not-so-spacious bedroom, it was clear that my desk was the elephant--if not the 800 pound gorilla--in the room. I put it into storage and tried to find a skinny, space-saving table that could go against the wall. My father came up with the idea of L-shaped table that could serve as a nightstand and a desk. A terrific woodworker from New Jersey, Carl Kunkel, made it out of cherry, and now it works perfectly as a bedside table and a desk that is just wide enough to fit my laptop. (It's also a clever way to hide my radiator.)" --Anna Nordberg, Cookie Associate Editor