It was a regular weekend for us here at Cookie--until we stumbled upon the website Flutter Clutter and got hooked. An hour later, we were still hunting through their home goods, apothecary and books. The antique-y, Victorian aesthetic made us want to buy everything and move to a big house in the countryside with a couple horses and a sexy gardener. Here are a few of our favorite things...

If your kids are begging for a puppy, the least you can do is get them one of these chummy pillows.

Pick-up sticks. So simple, so genius, so free of bells and whistles.

Grow a crystal garden that looks just like Mt. Fuji in the springtime.

For more kids' toys and decor, read about making your own terrariums or displaying your kids' collections.

A mix of art and games, these Pearl Paper Doll Prints by Egg Press are utterly charming. Dress the friendly dog for deep sea diving, cattle herding, ballet classes or bedtime. Then play with them or hang them next to the nursery's closet for let's-get-dressed-every-morning inspiration.

Want more? Read our story about decorating with frames.

Scandinavian Designer Bjorn Dahlstrom is the mastermind behind "My House", an ingeniously simple polyester cloth that turns any table into a magic castle and your kids into princesses and knights. There's no easier way to morph your living room into an instant fairy tale world. Let the stories begin...

Painter Rachel Stuart-Haas is not afraid of color. Her large-scale paintings are splashed with rainbow hues, and her home reflects the colors of the ocean. Even her son Liam has red hair. "I have no idea where that came from, but I love it," she laughs. Let's peek inside...

Tell us about your neighborhood.
We live in Shreveport, Louisiana. A ton of movies have been made here. We mostly get Jessica Simpson and Jack Black. You'll go to Target and run into shoots. It's surreal.

Are you originally from Shreveport?
My husband and I grew up here. We were high-school sweethearts.

What inspired the colors in your home?
We vacation a lot in the Caribbean, and I'm so relaxed there, so I wanted to evoke those colors. I did green in the nursery, coral in the living room and turquoise in our bedroom. It's a theme without being too cheesy. No floating fish!
The rug is from Lowe's. The apple pillow is from Ruth's Crafts.

Were you nervous to try such bold colors?
At first, I wondered if I'd have panic attacks every time we walked in the house, but I ended up loving it. My dad says you can't be depressed in here! Hell, it's just paint; if it looked horrible, we'd paint over.

Where do you spend time as a family?
Mostly in the living room. Two big French doors lead onto the porch, and we open them up. It gets miserably hot in Lousiana, but it's nice at night.

Since Liam's nursery is right off the living room, do you have to be really quiet at night?
We put a fan next to his crib to block out the noise. We love to have a glass of wine and watch TV.

Which shows do you like?
I got really addicted to Lost when I was pregnant. I rented the first three seasons and watched them around the clock for two days. But Season 4 hadn't been released yet on DVD, so I got on the computer and found a Japanese website. I didn't understand the language and it was so blurry, but I could figure out what was going on. I felt like a crack addict.

Is that your painting?
Yes, I sell my paintings in galleries in Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Shreveport, and Oxford, Mississippi. I've painted much less since Liam was born. He goes down at 7, so I try to do it at night but it's hard.

How did you decide on this specific green for the nursery?
The green goes well with his red hair. I've deemed green his favorite color whether he likes it or not. I'm sure when he gets older he'll be like, "Screw you, Mom, I like black," but for now he's putty in my hands!

Where did you get that awesome rug?
Target, of all places. I looked forever for a rug and finally did a double take in Target.
The woven basket is from World Market.

What about the glider and ottoman?
They were originally from Walmart. My sister gave them to me. People just give you things when you have a baby. It's this cosmic free-for-all.

What's Liam into?
Saying no. Everything you ask him is, nooooo!

That's hilarious.
Yeah, he has lots of toys but has no interest in them. He likes pots and pans, remote controls, old-school headphones, my cell phone...

The turquoise seems energizing. Is it hard to sleep in here?
I'm not the best person to ask, since I've always been a huge insomniac. In feng shui, you're supposed to paint your bedroom the color of your favorite dessert, like chocolate, to make it sensual. Regardless, it could be lavender and I'd still be like, I can't sleep.

The lanterns add a nice pop to the room.
My friend gave them to me as a birthday present. They're silk and really nice.

What advice do you have for new decorators?
Paint your furniture. It's an inexpensive, quick way to transform something. And don't worry if your home isn't perfect. I like homes that look natural, and I can't stand houses that look like hotels. In the same way, I like people with chipped nail polish; it's as if their life is so cool, they don't have time to think about it.

Craving more? Find past house tours here and find all our home stories here.

"We are moving into our first home in a couple months and I am buying a couch. We only have one family room, so I want to get one great couch that I am going to love. I have two children under 2--so lots of spit up, grubby hands, spilled milk. We have a microfiber couch, but I don't love it, and it is too small. I like modern furniture, but want something that I can clean. Any suggestions?" --Anna Low

We think your answer will be Crypton fabric, which blocks stains, moisture, mold, mildew, bacteria and odor. Crypton (available in tons of colors and fabric types) has a breathable moisture barrier, which means a little soap and water will easily erase your troubles. The good news is that many furniture manufacturers have the option of upholstering their sofas with "COM," which stands for "Customer's Own Material." It takes about 15 yards of fabric to cover a large sofa. And though Crypton is a sofa superhero, we'll bet your tykes will take a break from bouncing around to snuggle up to Crypton's plush polyester. Here are a few of our favorite mod couches available in COM:

Button-Tufted Club sofa from Gus Design Group

We've written about San Francisco mom Jordan Ferney before. And we'll probably write about her again. (She has such great ideas!) Today we want to show you her brilliant photo-booth photo album. Filled entirely with photo-booth strips, the album features Jordan and her husband:

And their new arrival Moses:
Adorable!

Want more? See our stories on family photo albums and unique kids' portraits.

This baby is adorable! (We also love his mom's head scarf.) Plus, watch the ridiculously cute Charlie Bit Me video, and check out our list of songs for you and your kids.

Every kid knows that when it comes to drawing, the walls, tempting as they may be, are a big no-no.  That is, until now...

Thanks to the brilliant Mini Moderns Colour-Me wallpaper from London-based design group Absolute Zero Degrees, the walls are no longer off limits. The paper, from sustained and certified forests, is designed to be colored in once on the walls. Your budding artists get the ultimate canvas for their creative outlets, and you get extremely cool, one-of-a-kind, wallpaper.

Spotted on Print & Pattern

We love this idea for wall art that is 1) good looking. 2) personal. And 3) totally doable by real, actual children--even toddlers.

Step One: Give your child a pre-stretched canvas and one shade of acrylic paint (both are readily available at any craft or art supply store). Pour out some paint onto a paper plate and let your child go for it. He or she can finger paint the canvas until it's completely covered. (No doubt your child will be at least partially covered as well.)

Step Two: While the paint is still wet, capture your child's footprints or handprints on the canvas. Let dry.

The possibilities are inspiring. You could make a series of these featuring everyone in the family--assigning a separate color to each person. Or feature this activity at a birthday party. Or make a set of hand and feet canvases for Grandpa's house. Maybe a larger canvas featuring several hands and feet? The ideas just keep coming. . .

Want to keep the projects going? Check out the best art supplies for kids.

Spotted on Tutus and Turtles.

Now that summer is in full swing, child-friendly fans are on our minds. We love this whymsical FlowerPower Floor Fan by Heckhausen + Zetsche. It has a powerful yet extremely quiet motor with an built-in safety switch that cuts the power if little fingers can't resist touching the soft foam blades. There's also a desk version in black.

First inspired by New York City's flower market, the designers of Trove consistently crank out beautiful lifelike wallpaper designs--all using non-toxic coatings and archival inks said to last 140 years. Our favorites are the fantastical Azha (above) and Hitchcock-esque Indi (below). Check out other color options for these and all of the designs here.

We're always on the hunt for fantastic nursery art, and here's another great find from Made By Girl. Available in three sizes (16x24, 23x30, and 30x45), this poster is modern enough to take your kid from baby to teenager. You can choose the name (or word) you want to highlight and customize your color scheme.

When Leah Hennen and her husband were house-hunting in Oakland, California, their then-7-year-old daughter Laurel climbed the stairs to the attic, took one look at the dusty space, and declared it "my future bedroom and art studio." Yikes, but "the girl has vision, and who were we to argue?" says Leah. Working with a contractor and architect, the family overhauled the space in two months. You'll be amazed at the results.
So how bad was the attic originally?
Dangerously low ceiling ties and roof supports were scattered all over, making it difficult to walk more than a few feet without hitting one or both. A bank of exhaust pipes and ducts burst through the floor right in the middle of the room and ran up through the roof. In short, the attic was a major project, but we needed it done quickly and relatively cheaply.

How did you begin?
We called in Karen DiNardo, a general contractor. After consulting with a structural engineer and an architect (both of whom we paid by the hour rather than pulling them in to oversee the whole project), we agreed on a plan: 8'x4' sheets of plywood grooved to look like old-fashioned beaded board. The architect also had the great idea to create recessed bookshelves, which never have occurred to us.
The pom-poms are from Cargo in Portland.

What did you do about the floors?
Karen suggested screwing down maple plywood. Then we had the floors stained a deep, dark chocolate hue. I love the way it looks.
The Docksta art table is from IKEA; the chairs are from Pottery Barn.

The attic is a big space. You must have spent a fortune on furniture.
I actually managed to find most items for next to nothing on craigslist and eBay and from IKEA. I'd love to have gotten every piece from Design Within Reach, but our budget didn't allow for that, and eBay was a great resource not just for furniture, but also art, bedding and storage bins.
The India Rose laundry bag is from RianRae, and the dresser is from IKEA.

What's Laurel's favorite part of the room?
It changes by the day, depending on what she's into. Right now, she's really into reading on the daybed. She loves the swing, and she's making a fashion studio in one corner. All her friends go up there and they sound like a herd of elephants.

What does she read?
The magazine boxes are filled with her collection of Martha Stewart Living -- yes, god help me, my child is a Martha fanatic. I swear she did not get that from me.
Right: The circular rugs are bathmats from IKEA. The Urban Outfitters swing chair was from craigslist.

What was your favorite part of the design process?
When I was growing up, I just had a normal 10x10 room, without any reading corners or art spaces. So it was fun to provide those things for her.
The vintage chair is from eBay; the white flokati rug is from PB Teen. Right: The bedding is a mix of linens from Anthropologie, West Elm, and PB Teen (all purchased on eBay); the "headboard" is a folding screen, and the glass lamp and floral lampshade are from eBay.

Any cons of the whole process?
The room is a lot more girly than I'd be comfortable with in any other part of the house--but hey, it is for a little girl. The paper hearts everywhere were her contribution to the design.

What advice would you give new decorators?
Build in as much storage as possible. I bought IKEA straw baskets by the truckload. Girls have so many tiny things--beads, dolls--so it helps to have baskets to throw them into and a place to tuck the baskets.
The IKEA Lillberg Loveseat was a craigslist find, painted white; the Optics Floor Mat is from Koko. The rolling metal Helmer Cart behind the desk is from IKEA.

It's good to be Laurel.
She disappears into her rooms for hours. We call it "Laurel Land." Here's the kicker, though: Our daughter wakes up to this every morning. You can see downtown Oakland and, on a clear day, all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. Lucky girl.

Read more on Leah's blog, or check out our past Cookie home tours. Also, you may like this basement makeover.

Kids draw a lot. We feel such pangs of guilt throwing some drawings away, but it's not like we can keep all of them. Oh, the inner turmoil...

Luckily, over on Design Mom, we just spied the MOST AMAZING THING EVER. Designer Jan Eleni takes your child's art, shrinks it down into little reproduction cards and then frames it all. The posters can feature 25 to 112 mini masterpieces. Your child is thrilled, you lose the guilt and your desk is cleared of stacks of old drawings. Win-win-win. Find out more here.

Want more? Read our ideas for storing your kids' art and the best family photo albums.

At some point all kids inevitably need a place to hold their nickels and dimes and birthday cash from Grandma. Or just those lucky pennies they come upon at the playground. Here are some options that will both house their allowance and look good in the house.

The Theo Bank stands on it's own two feet.

The Kaessel Piggy Bank in wood. Construct the bank, then take it apart to collect the savings. Then do it again. Plus it's so good-looking! Still hunting for a retail source. If you know one, please share.

Created from a beautiful mid-century mold. And it comes with actual money inside. Real money. In split-pea green, matte black or matte white. Find it at Sparkability.

Not Neutral Piggy Bank in three designs--we like the numbers best. Available at Modernseed.

It turns out lots of different animals enjoy storing your coins. These glossy ceramic options are available at Dutch by Design.

Chrome Piggy Bank in large or small from Target. We saw the large version in store, and it really is a bit swollen and charming.

Simple. Inexpensive. Bankabank's made-from-foam creation is a great option. At ModernTots.

Designed by Harry Allen. It's lifelike. Very. Lifelike. It comes in four finishes--including gold-plated. It's expensive, but it's growing on us. Especially when we see it photographed in an actual room. Available at Design Public.

For the true minimalist. Bruno Limberger's 1960 designs. Gorgeous. We know they're still available because we saw them at the gift show. If you know a retail source, please leave a comment.

Take a look at Looksur's leather piggy made from 100% recycled upholstery scraps. It's eco, elegant, and it comes in six colors.

We officially have one more week of spring, when animals become twitterpated and flowers spring up in dewy gardens. Let's celebrate the end of this lovely season with a round-up of animal design...

Frolicking bookends make us want to read more often.

Hanging your hat is fun when it's on a squirrel.

A loveable pull-toy from Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara.

Birds go abstract in this handmade wooden mobile.

And, just for fun: This little piggie in England who was terrified of mud. (Seriously, this was on BBC News.) So his farmer owner made him mini Wellington boots. Now he's just fine!

Inspired by the Argentinean cowboys, designer Tanja Schoeller's interpretation of a gaucho-style seat features a purist design consisting of two interlocking arches of different woods (nut, cherry, african zebrano, maple, olive ash, or beech) providing for a bouncy yet stable seating. Gaucho (being manufactured by Germany based Rebman) is not only an eye-catcher for every living room or kids room but also the cure for back problems: the upright seating position strengthens thighs and torso.

Architect Diana Kellogg and writer-director Neil Burger have created the ultimate play/work space for their kids, Lukas and Clara in their Tribeca apartment that was once a cold-storage warehouse. A room where gymnastics and homework is possible? Genius. Check out the rest of their gorgeous apartment here.

Despite what we tell our kids, teaching isn't always fun, but we love love love these 1963 education charts from Three Potato Four. How cute would they look in a nursery or playroom?
Read about decorating with frames here.

Little dudes are awesome, but they do break a lot of things. As they try drinking from grown-up cups, some of those cups become casualties. Enter these amazing dishware decals. Stick them on plain white mugs and, if the mug chips or breaks, just move them to another. You can also put them on glass, tiles, mirrors and plastics.

Certain cities instill great pride among their citizens. A pride so strong that even if those citizens move away--for luxuries like a back yard, a parking space and wide-aisled grocery stores--they wish they could keep a bit of the city with them. Something to remind them of all those interesting people in all those interesting neighborhoods stuffed together doing interesting things.

If you have lived in or loved just such a city, then we've got the perfect posters to share with you.

Made by Ork. Printed on recycled paper. And sold for very reasonable prices. Available cities: Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, Manhattan and San Francisco. Coming soon: Portland, Seattle, Toronto and Washington D.C.

Thanks to reader Theresa of Citrus for the link.

Photographer Mari Eriksson's prints reveals simple pleasures--like flowers in a vase or scissors with twine. And her home reflects that same aesthetic; its white walls and decor that make the space feel inspiring, like a fresh piece of paper. Her boys Milo, 5, and Misha, 3, and her engineer husband Finn are lucky to share it. Let's take a peek inside...

Where do you live in Sweden?
I live in a small town just south of Stockholm called Sodertalje. We live on a residential street close to the center. I really love it here.

How did you meet your husband?
Dancing salsa. We're both keen salsa and tango dancers.

Which language do you speak to your children?
I speak Swedish to them and my husband French. Milo knows a bit of English since his paternal grandma is American and speaks only English to the boys.

What a bright and lovely kitchen.
Before, it was all original 70's style with green cabinets. The kitchen was totally gutted and then fitted with four different 1950's-style kitchens that we bought online.

Why did you choose to have all white walls?
I like the house to feel calm and relaxed. My stuff gives it color anyway.

Why do you have a map of Australia in your office?
We lived in Australia for three years, so it's a fond memory of our stay.

What a great photo mobile! And is that a picture of your baby on the wall?
Yes, I took that picture of Misha when he was six months.

What do you work on here?
I enjoy making cards and sewing. Above the chest, I keep my "mood board," where I put things that inspire me, like a picture or a piece of tissue.

Is this your children's playroom?
It's their craft room, which is close to the kitchen so I can keep an eye on them. The cupboard is full of craft materials.

How did you choose your children's names?
I was pregnant with Milo when we moved to Melbourne. They have a drink there called Milo, and I liked it. Misha I got from a boy in my youth called Misha.

What are your kids' hobbies?
Running around and playing and watching French children's programs.

Your bedroom is beautiful. What's your favorite part?
I love the antique Italian chandelier and big white cupboard.

What a pretty table.
I ran into a man on the street who was cleaning out his parents' old house and after standing there chatting he offered to show me the house. It was full of antiques, as if time had been standing still. He gave me this beautiful table that nobody in his family wanted. He also gave me 1960's wallpaper and a white glass bowl. That made my week!

What advice do you have for new decorators?
Find your style with old pieces, art and creative solutions. A home is something that shows your personality. The worst thing is when everything is copied from a catalog.

Photography by Mari and styling by Louise Sareld. These photos appeared in Allt i hemmet, a Swedish magazine. For more, visit Mari's blog and her photography site. Find past Cookie house tours here.

We've all experienced the frustration, and sometimes panic, that comes with finding the perfect newborn gift. That's why we're glad we found these personalized pillows, stuffed animals, and photo albums from Kata Golda. Each item is handmade and customizable to your liking. Our personal favorites are the tooth fairy pillows that are cute enough to make your little one constantly check for loose teeth.

For more newborn gift ideas, check these out.

Unleash your kid's inner architect with this Adjustable Dollhouse. The five hinged wooden walls may be rearranged to reconfigure the design of the house, really putting the child's imagination into play. See your child create one big room or five separate areas. And what we love best, is that it folds flat for easy storage. A wonderful reimagining of the traditional wooden dollhouse.

Or see how to easily create your own dollhouse that folds flat.

Inspired by our other reader submissions, Jennifer Kirk of Ventura, California, created this nook for her son, Kai. We love all of the critters in it to keep him company during story time.

And if you missed them before, check out these nooks in our editors' homes. And keep the pictures coming--send them to us here.

Online shop 20x200 sells artists' prints in editions of 200 for just $20. New prints go up every Tuesday and Wednesday, and and if you like one, move quickly! They often sell out in hours. See all the prints here.