Guest Curator: Nursery Art with Cool Mom Picks

Coolmompicks

Story by Coolmompicks

Published on Feb 11, 2009 in Shop

Photo by Tracy Clark

This week’s Guest Curators are Liz Gumbinner (aka lizcoolmompicks) and Kristen Chase (aka Coolmompicks), co-founders and editors of CoolMomPicks.com, one of the most influential (and fun) shopping blogs for parents on the web. We’re big fans of their focus on handmade and active participation in the movement to help save handmade from the CPSIA. Plus, they never cease to make us laugh.

We’ve both always had a heart for handmade – Liz’s mom used to run her own children’s clothing label out of their attic, and Kristen’s mother made everything from their clothes, to their bread, to their yogurt (seriously). So we started Cool Mom Picks to help introduce parents to all the cool handmade and indie stuff we were falling in love with around the web. Little did we know there would be this huge Etsy explosion, providing us a limitless resource for incredible toys, dolls, baby clothes, jewelry, accessories, and oh my lord, the nursery art…So much great nursery art.

It’s hard to even conceive that anyone would buy some mass-produced poster from a chain store rhyming with Schmoys R Us, considering there are about six zillion original pieces right here, and at great prices, too.

Here are just a few of the options that make us wish our kids had more walls.


LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD – Giclee Print by danitashop

It’s so awesome to find fairy tale art that doesn’t have some licensed Disney character on it. We’d love to own one of the original textural collages from Danita, but would happily settle for her prints.


Lunastrella Robot, Space Station, and Flying Saucer by johnwgolden

We loved John W. Golden before he was like Mr. Popular Poster Guy. This trio of space-themed illustrations would look terrific in a modern boy’s room.


Space Boy by kidshaus

Yep, we have a thing for space-themes. KidsHaus’s gocco space boy is high on the covet list. It would be awesome if she made a girl version, too. (Cough, ahem.)


I Can Count to Eight by yumiyumi

We love how this little bear is dreamily counting to 8. 10 is just soooo predictable, don’t you think?


Mustang Art Print by girlvsworld

It doesn’t get much cooler than a girl with a guitar…Except maybe a girl with a drum kit.


Togetherness Owl Print by kateendle

You have to include something with owls in a 2009 kids art wrap-up, right? I mean, we hear it’s required. In that case, we pick collage artist Kate Endle, who has a ton of cute options in the birds of prey department — provided they don’t give your kid any ideas about staying up all night.


Waiting by sarahjanestudios

This print from Sarah Jane Studios would be beautiful in a more traditional girl’s room. It looks like the beginning of dozens of bedtime stories.


Bamboo in Multicolor No 2 by artbyrosemary

Not everything in a baby’s room has to scream BABY. Rosemary Pierce-Lackey’s mixed media bamboo sculpture would look fantastic over a crib. (Just um, don’t hang it too low. Trust us on that one.)


Animal Alphabet Poster by decoylab

Grab this letterpress alphabet print for your next shower gift; the pink and blue helps you hedge your bets on gender appropriateness. Also good for any sexually-confused babies out there.


Come a Little Closer by lindsayart

Lindsay Brackeen’s artwork looks like it was plucked right out of the pages of a Caldecott-winning children’s book.


Lion Screen Print by labpartners

We can never resist a good backstory. Lab Partners created this cheery, handprinted gocco lion print in a limited run to help raise money for Ugandan school children.


Fun With Bubbles Custom Silhouette Print by lepapierdesigns

Paul Rudd had that great line in Knocked Up about how he wished he liked anything in life nearly as much as kids like bubbles. Turns out, that’s true. And we’re guessing they’d like this print, too.


Chevelle Fine Art Photograph by daydreamer

Photography is a more unexpected choice for a nursery, and Anna Dykema’s pics of vintage toy cars won’t be outgrown as fast as art featuring bunnies or teddy bears.

But wait, there’s more! Check out the Cool Mom Picks Art and Décor (sounds fancy) archives. 
Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive.

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