This rainy Friday, we'd love to escape the office and hang out in a Treepee. Part tent, part swing and part trampoline, Treepees hang from backyard trees and would be the perfect place to play pretend games or (if it were up to us) nap the day away.

P.S. Fabulous tree-house resorts around the world, and our readers' own backyard treehouses...

--Joanna Goddard, Cup of Jo

Creating what's bound to be a future family heirloom, jewelry designer and new mom Whitney Phippen turns kids' profiles into adorable keepsakes. These clever necklaces are made to order and a welcome addition to the ever-popular world of silhouette-themed designs.

Sometimes, it's useful to know your own limitations. I had lots of big, fancy ideas about slip-covering the third-hand Graco carseat we got from friends (I wanted something a little more summery and cottony; I don't want the baby to suffer swamp-ass in August, perched in a January-ready car seat).

That said, I knew my skill set was neither as big nor as fancy as my visions. So I turned to Etsy, where a simple "custom car-seat cover" search yielded pages of results, including one from the super-straightforwardly named Yourcarseatcover, based in Washington State. It's run by a lovely woman named Heather, mother of five, and she offers the unique service of sewing a cover--she only does Gracos--with fabric that you send her. (She also sells some premade--but again, my visions: big and fancy!)

For the bargain price of $38 (plus to-and-fro shipping), within three weeks, I had the cover (including canopy and infant headrest). Both Jamie and I were overwhelmed by how beautifully and carefully made it is. I'm glad I realized my limitations, but I'm even gladder that Heather's talents seem to have no bounds.

Anyone else suffering from twin-phone syndrome? You and your husband/best friend/sister have matching phones/iPods/laptop and you end up trading "by accident" on a weekly basis? Us too.

So we've been watching for good-looking ways to set our gadgets apart. We like the offerings at OttoSkins. It's hard to pick a favorite. Made for pretty much any gadget out there.

OXO's brilliant candela lamps are LED lights that provide eight hours of illumination. The quirky Zoom and Tooli models are perfect to top a bedside table, while the sweet house-shaped Roomi makes a relaxing nightlight as your children drift into dreamland.

The second I spotted this BirdWalk Rug, it instantly put a smile on my face. I fully agree with Myfanwy Nixon of Babygadget; it'd be as happily welcomed in the living room as the nursery. Hat tip to Donna Wilson and her wonderful imagination.

As a "craft artist, nest fluffer, and momma," Jerusalem Greer still finds time to create an adorable haven for her husband, two sons, and two dogs in Arkansas.

Your kitchen is so cheery and welcoming! Do you and your family spend a lot of time in there?

The kitchen is where we tend to all gather after school and work, where we just sit and visit and catch up on our day together. It is also my favorite place to just sit and have a cup of coffee and watch the world. We have a sidewalk in front of our house, and you can literally watch the whole neighborhood walk by--walking their dogs, pushing babies in strollers, jogging. It is one of my favorite things about my kitchen.

Are those antique dishes on your wall?

I have a huge collection of vintage dishware and I am always swapping out the ones on the walls. I do try to use them all though--whether they are hanging on the wall or whether we eat off them.

Where did that rainbow bench come from?

My mother bought the bench for my husband and me as a birthday present at a craft fair several years ago. It was unpainted when she bought it, and I could not decide what color I wanted it to be. Eventually I let my oldest son Wylie paint it for us when he was 4. I gave him several little tester cans of paint in bright colors and told him he could use any or all of the colors as long as he painted each slat one color only. He pretty much did the whole bench himself, with just a little help from me. It was a great kid project and kept him out of my hair while I was painting another few pieces of furniture!

And the unexpected tiara on top of the cake dome?

The tiara is by a wonderful artist named Wendy Addison. I was excited to find it on sale, and could not resist bringing it home. I leave it lying around because almost anyone who comes in to our house has to try it on. I think homes are well served by a good dose of whimsy and playfulness.

I adore your mismatched chairs! Somehow they just work. Where did you find them? Did you paint and distress them?

That is actually how I found them. I found each one at a different place--either a thrift store or a garage sale--over several years. I have a thing for old chairs--they are like lost puppies to me. I can't bear to see one sitting lonesome in the back corner of a thrift shop or on the side of the road, abandoned. I just have to bring them home!

You use maps and globes as decoration in several rooms. Do you love to travel? 

Yes, we love to travel but considering the amount of maps and globes we have, we have done shockingly little of it--especially internationally. Perhaps it is hopeful thinking? But beyond that, I just love the colors in maps and globes. They are the perfect mix of bright and faded, light and deep. My husband also loves maps and has been known to take an atlas to bed for his nightly reading.

Are those pant hangers on the wall?

Yes, that's what those are! When we first moved into this house I needed a quick and inexpensive way to hang some of the art pieces I had collected from flea markets and art students. Somehow I came upon this idea. I always intended to frame the pieces, but now I think I like them just like this!

I love that U.S. presidents decorate the walls of your sons' room! How did the patriotic theme come about?

Our boys are both history buffs. They love all things historic, and in fact, most of our recent family vacations have all been centered around visits to historic sites and battlefields. When I started on their room I knew I wanted to carry over the vintage look that has inspired our whole house, but I also wanted it to be very "BOY!" in feel. I took my inspiration from boys rooms of the late 1960s and early 1970s--especially the era around our country's bicentennial, when everything seemed covered with Minute Men.

Do you have any secrets for maintaining order with all of their toys?

I wish I did! I am a believer in allowing them to just go for it when they play--after all, you need all the army men and the blocks and the Legos and the train tracks dumped out at once to create the most amazing fort of all time, right? The one thing that seems to work best for us is lots of bins with lots of labels so they know where to put things back when it's cleaning time.

Don't miss Jerusalem's blog and Etsy boutique, and check out the rest of our house tours.

Jordan Ferney has such a fantastic eye for design (which is why she's one of our fabulous contributors), and we're drooling over these light fixtures she posted on her blog, Oh Happy Day, recently. And guess what? They are all from the same store--and one you might not have guessed. Find out where she found them here.

There's something about these stylish wall decals that sets them apart from all the rest. The bold colors, sharp patterns, and playful zoo-animal designs would bring a lively punch to a playroom or nursery. And wouldn't the monkey look cute peeking out from behind your sofa?

Don't miss the rest of Elly Nelly's line--"bunny hop" is too cute for words.

We've always been big fans of Marimekko's bold, graphic patterns, and now they've added a few more notable additions to their collection. These two fabrics are new for fall, and we just love them. Check out the entire fall collection here.

Above: Alas Taikavirtaa fabric, $42 a panel (39 inches long by 57.5 inches wide), Anu Luhtanen for Marimekko.

Takaisin Sademetsaan fabric, $42 a panel (39 inches long by 57.5 inches wide), Anu Luhtanen for Marimekko.