It's no secret that we love etsy, the online marketplace for handmade goods. And now that they've started a new Handmade Kids section, we're even more head over heels.

This week, we rounded-up our favorite wares for moms on the go -- from knit hats and baby slings to vintage roller skates and mustache disguises. Look through our favorite picks and let us know what you think!

While we're on the topic of smart chairs, New York Magazine recently featured Taiwanese designer Chishen Chiu's FlexibleLove 16 chair in their round-up of space-saving furniture. Made of recycled wood and paper, it can be expand and bend into any shape your heart desires. Another favorite from the round-up: the collapsible Tori rocking horse from Design Within Reach.

Every once and a while, we run into a different type of rocker. Take for instance the Opla chair from Nana Designs. With several bright and bold colors to choose from, this chair has even more to offer. If you get tired of rocking, you can flip it over and it becomes a regular chair. Another bonus? It is made to survive indoors and out. (via minor details)

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And check out our four favorite nursery rocking chairs.

We all remember grabbing the bed sheets to make our secret hideaways. With Crazy Forts you can let your child?s imagination run wild with less furniture rearranging on their part. Creator, Jim Whitney, said he came up with the idea because he wanted to enhance traditional fort building. Start by using the kit to create a freestanding structure (everything from castles to astronauts) and drape bed sheets or blankets over it. Crazy Forts even offers downloadable building plans to help you along the way. Engineering and physics plus fun? Genius.

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Check out some of our other favorite toys!

Every parent loves snapping photos of their little tykes. But you often end up with a mishmash of disjointed shots that you stick in a box. So we love the idea of doing a photo series of your children doing one activity, like British photographer Colin Pantall did with his daughter Isabel.

He did a hypnotic series of Isabel watching TV...

And a gorgeous series of Isabel smelling flowers...

And a fresh series of Isabel outdoors in the English countryside.

What a great idea. From now on, we're going to take photos of our kids in cool series. We're envisioning: Kids watching movies with popcorn, or kids at the pool, or kids wanting to sleep in our bed in the middle of the night. The possibilities are endless!

Check out Colin Pantall's photos on his website, and see our story on family photo albums.

Painter and blogger Kimberley Laurenti lives in Punta Gorda, Florida, with her husband, Tony, and son, Enzo, whom she calls "the two loves of my life." But despite Kimberley's sunny outlook, she also has a darker side to her aesthetic. We love her evocative portraits, which seem plucked right from a Grimm's fairy tale. Let's peek inside...

What's it like to live in Florida? My family moved here from New York when I was 12. I hated it for a long time; I still kind of do. It's extremely hot; you don't get seasons since the summer is ten months a year. But my family is here, and I love them, and I think it's important for Enzo to be here. I'm trying to be less complain-y about it as I get older. I like the town and like things about it. But holy crap, it's hot.

Your living room doesn't have that typical Florida beach-y look. My style is weird and gloomy. Sometimes, in Florida, we'll be outside playing, and it will be so bright, it's almost overwhelming. When I open the door to our living room, it's like our cool, air-conditioned cave. The curtains are from Target.

Who's in the painting? My husband Tony and my son Enzo. They're my muses.

Your artwork has an awesome dark feel. I like uniqueness in a painting--not creepy, but whatever the nice word is for creepy. If I painted a couple, for example, I'd want them holding a clay figure or something; I wouldn't just do a normal family portrait. So people have to be secure in my style, not say, "Look, their teeth aren't white enough."

Where did that dark side come from? Great question. Even as a little kid, I was into R-rated movies. My parents wouldn't let me watch them until I was 17, so I'd go out and get all the scary books that the movies were based on. They were a million times worse!

I love the name Enzo! Enzo has such an Italian name--Enzo Laurenti--but he's fair skinned with blonde hair. My husband is Italian, and I'm typical whitey--German mostly. Luckily, our son is big on personality, so he fills the name out.

What's it like to raise a boy? Enzo is all boy. They're so physical. When I play with him, I set up little scenes in a quiet way, like I did when I was little, but he's so physical, it's almost startling. His idea of fun is batting a bat against a plant. When I was a little girl, I held toys close; he does the flying around thing.

Yes, boys and girls can be really different. I always thought I was a guys' girl, but now I'm like, holy crap! It's different when you're around a crazy little boy.

Well, Enzo does have a stove. Yes, Enzo is getting into cooking. My husband and I are excited because we love wooden foods! All his friends like playing with it -- both boys and girls.

That's so cute. We give them menus, and they come out and ask us what we'd like to fake-order. Sometimes it's annoying because we'll have friends over and the kids will be coming out every two seconds to say, "What would you like, Ma'am?"

What do you usually eat as a family? We're into Thai food right now. We're lucky: Enzo goes along with everything we eat. His favorite meal is tilapia and wild rice.

Why did you decide to start a blog? We live in a small, very conservative town with lots of retirees. The blog community gives me glimpses into the creative world beyond where I am.

Tell us about this lair. The lair is behind my mom's house, a couple miles away. I've declared it "Lair Tuesday," so we'll go there every Tuesday. There are big pathways with branches overhead, and two main "rooms" with chairs. My sisters and I sit there and decide what to work on next, maybe a swing. Even my mom hangs out. Other families might find it strange, but we love it.

Wow, that's fantastic. I always feel like I'm the luckiest person. I don't think that life could get any better. I always say to Enzo, "Enzo, we are so lucky and have the best life!" Sometimes we're sitting with a picnic outside, and he'll lean back and say, "Mommy! It doesn't get any better than this!" And it's true: Sitting outside on a beautiful day, with a little guy, the love of your life, on a little picnic.

Here at Cookie, we're also a little obsessed with all things British. (Um, hello, Colin Firth!) So we were excited to come across a great kids' shop, Present + Correct. Here are our current favorites...

Cuter-than-cute retro staplers.

Chalk, tote and book set, including a smiley-face sponge.

French book about river life.

See all our Shop the Catalog posts.

Sweet silhouettes and nifty wallpaper are two of our favorite things, so we're mad about this wallpaper panel art from Kiki & Polly. Portland artist Lisa Golightly (the company is named for a bird and an imaginary friend of her daughter's) hand paints images of children riding deer, elephants, rabbits, and lions onto bold graphic wallpaper and then mounts the creation onto Birchwood panels. Are we too old to incorporate a little fairy-tale fantastic into our own bedrooms?

Commissioning a portrait of your child often puts you in the position of deciding between a cheesy black-and-white photograph or a stuffy painting more fitting for a mausoleum than your living room. This is why we love Figment Studio's punchy, one-of-a-kind paintings. Artist Kristine Baerlin works with clients to create hand-painted, Roy Lichtenstein-esque portraits that feel both fresh and timeless.

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If pop art isn't your thing but you still can't stand autumnal backdrops, check out these other unique kids' portrait ideas.

While perusing Design Mom (one of our favorite bloggers and a Nesting contributor), we spotted these great giant wall stickers by Harmonie Interieure. The beautiful silhouettes are perfectly whimsical without being saccharine sweet and the ABCs are ridiculously cool. Choose from 58 colors, peel, stick and voila! Instant mural!

Find more ideas for blank walls and more kids room ideas from our August issue. (On newsstands now!)

We've been fans of P'kolino's modern, cheerful, smart designs for quite some time now, and we're so excited to see their new toddler furnishings line is being sold at Babies R Us. The Playfully Smart children's desk (above) has a storage shelf under the seat to hold crayons and other supplies. Or, for coloring with company, check out the adorable table and chair set (below).

While reading through fellow design blog Famille Summerbelle, we came across Julie Marabelle's question on one of our kids'-bedroom stories:

"I love checking [the] Cookie Magazine Web site to get some fresh ideas. I discovered these digital images of virtual children's bedroom a while ago (and being very stupid I forgot to take the name of the designer, so if anyone knows please...)" 

The bedrooms were all created to fit the individual child's specific interests, like the room for the "Train Fanatic" above. Each room was designed with the help New York City interior decorator Jan Eleni and Boston architectural designer Matthew Fickett. Read the story and get more unique kids'-bedroom ideas.

And, in the case that your tot isn't old enough to have developed an obsession with trains or blanket forts just yet, check out our nursery design ideas.
 

Remember hypercolor, the 1980's T-shirts that changed colors when they warmed up? Well, now there are baby versions. Look at that warm little butt! So cute!

We are loving -- no, make that LOVING -- the Manhattan apartment of Pamela Bell. One of the four original partners at Kate Spade, Bell was tired of trying to make her home look perfect. Her solution? She dedicated the house to her kids: Elenore, 13, Anabel, 11, and Will Simotas, 7.

Lo and behold, the house turned out even better than "perfect": Elenore's seventh-grade class covered the sofa in graffiti. Will had his way with fabric paint on two chairs. Anabel and three friends painted her room and embellished it with Marimekko wall stickers. Pamela let the kids choose the wall colors, and don't you love the fake chandelier from Urban Outfitters?

Want more? See the full article, "When Perfect Is Not the Goal," and read about other inventive parents, like chef Suzanne Goin and artist-designer Toland Grinnell.

You know how you're always searching for ways to occupy your kid for just a few minutes, so you can accomplish something yourself? (You know, maybe even just going to the bathroom?) We just discovered a blog that will save you. No Time for Flash Cards, written by a former preschool teacher, is loaded with ideas for art projects (like having kids roll cars through paint to make tire-track masterpieces)--often paired with a song and a few book recommendations along the same theme. Genius.

San Francisco-based flower expert Anna Campbell calls her decorating approach "ugly-beautiful," which is funny because the loft she shares with her husband Erik and son Thad is gorgeous. Here, she tells us about their typography obsession, fruitful walks and apartment in "the famous sketchy part of town with leather shops." Let's peek inside...

Who's in your family?
My architect husband, Erik; our four-month-old son, Thad, and Scout, our rescue dog from New York.

How does Thad like your dog Scout?
He hates being kissed by him. I'd say Scout is more in love with Thad than Thad is with Scout.

Your loft is amazing--and huge.
It's our live/work space. We have a business, Food + Flower + Style that makes fabric, textiles, wallpapers and more. My husband is an architect, and I also teach flower-arranging and cooking classes.

What fun to have an architect husband.
It's good but hard. I was going to buy a rocking chair, but he said, "No, no, no! I want to make it." Sometimes I just want to be a regular consumer.

How would you describe your aesthetic?
My philosophy is that it all comes down to ugly-beautiful. We like to use random items in unexpected ways. For example, the blank white wall at the bottom of our staircase [below] was driving me nuts. But instead of wallpaper, we found some abandoned railroad ties in a junk pile. My husband got them on our wedding day and gave them to me for my wedding present. [Ed note: You can see the railroad ties as the base to the chair, above, and behind the baby swing, below.] The child's seat is the Bloom Coco Lounger.

Does Thad enjoy his swing?
If he's cranky, you can put him in there and he'll just go back and forth for hours. Our dog Scout lies underneath; Thad hits into him but Scout never cares. They both love it. The swing is from Enfant Terrible.

Where did you find this brown sofa?
My grandma gave us $500 for our wedding, and we bought this sofa from a great second-hand store. My favorite part is that there's a tag describing the man it was made for. 

What's inside those vintage suitcases?
I have a gazillion magazine tears, so my solution is to stick them in file folders inside suitcases.

What do you use letterpress for?
We love using things in different ways, so our company, Food + Flower + Style, makes letterpress chocolate letters. Sometimes we write "Eat me" or "Danke."

How is it to work as a couple?
We work well together. My husband is slow and methodical and I'm crazy fast, so we balance each other out.

Do you talk about work a lot?
Sometimes he'll email me even though we're meeting up in ten minutes. He'll say, go check out this website where all they talk about is how letters are used on sidewalks.

Can you tell us about your punch-clock [above, left]?
I found this old punch-clock, so I stick everything into it, like birthday or business cards that I love.

Tell us about your art collection.
My husband eats, sleeps and drinks typography. He made this print with the letter W repeated over and over. It's so fantastic.

What's in the vases?
A Japanese newspaper that came as packaging inside my flower boxes. I loved the look of it.

What about this print?
This print shows one of the rug designs we're working on.

And these?
This is a study my husband did about how you can place and scale letters to create artwork.

Your house is so cool and masculine.
Yeah, it's hard to make it too girly when you have concrete walls!

But your bathroom feels feminine.
The greatest thing I ever did was own a flower shop. This is a little reminder of my glory days. The vase came from my shop, and I loved discovering quirky wonderful people, like Beth Mueller, who made the milk bottles.

Why did you close your flower shop?
Not to sound arrogant, but I think I was ahead of my time. People didn't get it. Before, it wasn't ok to leave baby's breath out of your arrangements. I'd have to convince them to see the beauty in a whole big bunch of tulips and that's it. I'd have to beg people not to want flowers wrapped in boring tissue paper. So, out of artistic frustration, I closed. 

Do you ever think about opening a store nowadays?
My real love, hands down, is teaching how to arrange flowers. I want people to buy flowers from the supermarket and think, "I love these and can make them look amazing." We teach based on design principles--texture, form and color-- and show easy techniques and simple arrangements.

Is it weird to have concrete in your bedroom?
I've actually never thought about that! I'm so mesmerized by the walls' patterns. Thad loves to stare at them, too. The bedding and pillows are from Dwell. The big pillow is from Hable Construction.

Of course your son has a number mobile!
Yes, we made the mobile. We're fascinated by felt. We have a felt baby bag, sling, carrier, mobile...The bedding is from Dwell.

What advice would you give new decorators?
Look in unexpected places and keep an eye out for unusual pieces. We find most things while taking a walk.

For more about Anna, visit her website, blog or shop. Browse through our past Cookie home tours.

Yeondoo Jung has brought children's imaginative drawings to life with a collection of photographs entitled "Wonderland." The Seoul-based artist filtered through hundreds of images from South Korean children and recreated the pictures in "live action." The surrealist elements and dreamlike qualities of the drawings-turned-reality shine throughout the series. And while, no, we probably won't be including that much pink satin in any of future design endeavors, we may begin looking to our own tots for some inspiration.

See more here.

Valerie Jomini and Stanislas Zimmermann's itbox furniture system sure is timeless. We can see these pieces work in a nursery, a teenage room, or even a living room. The itbox system is available in a range of eleven different sizes and seven different colors that can be freely combined, in any number of ways. Now, what color to chose?

Seems we can't get enough of alphabet posters. Here are some of our favorite new ones:

Tara Hogan's animal-inspired work includes your child's favorites like giraffes and penguins. It would even be great in a grown-up space (like your home office).

This modern poster is perfect for budding designers. Blue Art Studio also makes another alphabet poster that we were obsessed with a couple months ago.

Petit Collage's bright and bold take on the alphabet is available in baby pink, baby blue, and the more neutral orange and green.

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Want more? See all of our nursery art picks.

We're always looking for unique items, so when we came across these incredible lamps from Charlie Brokate at Charliedoes.com, we couldn't wait to share. The simple, clean drum lamps will pop in any space. Charlie says his one-of-a-kind creations are inspired by everyday objects--like subway tiles or smokestacks. Each shade is laser cut and the graphics are hand-applied. And while Charlie typically makes only one of each lamp, he's always working on new collections. We can't wait to see what he comes up with for his next series this fall. Here are some of our favorites he's done so far:

Check out some of our other great lamps and lighting ideas!

Artwork is a personal part of any home, but it is especially so in Dario and Manuela's Paris home. When the couple renovated the 19th century apartment eight years ago, they adorned the walls with framed artwork by their three daughters, now in their teens. In the photo above, a family portrait (done by their youngest at age three) hangs over the living room couch. The result is a perfect balance of family warmth and understated Parisian chic. Check out the rest of the gorgeous apartment and other masterpieces by their girls here.

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And discover more ways to store and display your kids' artwork.

Yup, ironing. Not much to say there. But the chore suddenly gets more fun when you add an adorable ironing board cover, like monkeys or polka dots. Go to Hestia Houseworks to find more styles.

Also read about green cleaning products and how to conserve energy in your home.

Pretty much every kid we've ever met would adore these bubble calendars. The only tough part is having the willpower to pop only one each day. P.S. Bonus for design-y parents: The type is Helvetica Neue.

There's no shame in giving a cheap bottle of wine as long as it tastes good--and that's why we love the sentiments on Popptags, created by moms Anya Mills and Whitney Tigani.

Mills drew inspiration for the idea from her husband's wine obsession and Tigani's letterpressing skills. The snarky phrases come both from their brains and from fan submissions. "The juxtaposition between the sweet letterpress look and the sting of the line is kind of how we are ourselves," says Mills.

Tags are sold in sets of six for $20.

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For more fantastic hostess gifts, check out Daily Find this week.

It's a bunk bed on top. It's a closet with a chalkboard on the door. It's a workspace with a desk, chair, and storage compartments. All that and it's good-looking too. Which means it's basically a miracle.

Alas. It's not for sale.

It was designed in 1975 by Luigi Colani for a German company called Elbro and from what we understand, is no longer in production. So unless you happen to have a source on a vintage specimen (if yes, please share), we'll all have to wait for Ikea to make a knock-off.

via Holly and Remodelista.

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See more of the best bunk beds for kids.

Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut has a great collection of paper designs, but one of our favorites is the alphabet mat board template.  Her downloadable PDF ($7) includes simple instructions and printable materials for the entire alphabet. She framed an apple photograph with the corresponding letter 'A', but the customization options are limitless. Imagine a wall of the entire alphabet or spell your child's name over a series of photos.

Spotted on Ohdeedoh.

These mirrors made us do a double take. How fun would it be to mimick the same playful pose in front of one of these? Aviary Decor gets our decorating thumbs up.

We've been obsessed with online custom-stationary store Tiny Prints for some time no--we even selected them as one of our top five birthday-party-invitation resources. So imagine our excitement when we saw that Tiny Prints has added both DwellStudio and MiGi to their long list of design collaborators.

DwellStudio's bold, cheerful aesthetic transitions perfectly from their baby and kids product lines to Tiny Prints' birth announcements, party invitations, and thank you cards. MiGi's stationary line features all the vintage charm with a clean modern twist that made us first fall in love with their baby bedding and nursery accessories. Here are some of our favorites from the collections:

DwellStudio's Blissful Bird: Waterfall

DwellStudio's Animal Crackers: Sea Blue

MiGi's Roaring Lion

MiGi's Butterfly Kisses

Check out all of our favorite online stationary resources. Plus, get great ideas for kids' birthday parties.