Custom birth announcement printing has come a long way in a few short years.  Starting from the simple convenience of ordering a customized design online, these days new parents benefit from choices that range from paper quality, mailing services, and designs from top independent designers.  Now, at one of our favorite print houses, Minted, you can add a custom die cut shape to your announcements for special personalization option.  Rounded corners are old-school – today at Minted you can choose from 8 new shapes that include tag, wave scallop, scalloped circle, dotted scallop, classic frame, and curved frame.

For Coochicoos Readers – Upgrade your birth announcement with the new Minted die-cut shapes for FREE – use coupon code: SHAPES when ordering before August 20.

Kids love simple makeshift shelters, don’t they?  From cardboard boxes to beach towel tents, the act of building and playing in spaces they’ve created is a precious part of childhood.  So here’s a simple sheet tent from Helen Bird of Curly Birds that will keep your kids occupied for a summer afternoon or longer.

Babyhome is a leading European baby manufacturer based in Spain since 2005.  New to US families, Babyhome asked us to pick out our favorite Babyhome piece to giveaway to our readers – so we picked Dream, a lightweight, portable baby bassinet.

Dream is an extremely lightweight cot for baby with an aluminum frame that is easy to assemble/disassemble.  Its innovative adjustable leg system allows, with the simple click of a button, to change the leg position from stationary to a rocker to wheels that allow Dream to be easily moved around the house.  The fabric can be removed from the aluminum frame and washed.  Dream comes with a high-density foam mattress that prevents the baby from getting caught between the edge of the mattress and side of the cot and a honeycomb structured mattress pad that is safe and breathable.  Dream also includes a travel bag.

Enter Dream cot giveaway here

Dream is available from mbeans ($299).  Visit Babyhome to see their entire US collection.

Gabriel’s nursery was designed by SISSY+MARLEY inside a huge loft space in Tribeca, NYC.  The ceilings are really high and the loft gets a ton of sunlight.  The clients asked for a nursery that was warm and cozy with a modern feel to it.

Nursery Resource List

Just love the graphic minimalism of Christian Jackson’s poster print work of classic children’s stories.  Jackson created 15 total story posters – aside from our favorites here, they also include classics like Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Princess and the Pea, and more.

Available for purchase in a range of sizes from Imagekind and The Land of Nod.

If you know the benefits of open-ended play for kids, then you can probably envision the endless possibilities for play with this unfinished playhouse.  Imaginary doors and windows can be anywhere, the roof frame can be covered with different materials, and walls can be paper one day or hung with towels the next.  If the beauty of objects is knowing when to stop designing, then this playhouse is a masterpiece.

thanks Riemuja via Apartment Therapy

You know that previously featured wallpaper you could draw on, so it’s no surprise that we would love I See You wallpaper from Cavern.  Challenge your kid’s creativity by papering a wall with a field of eyeballs, and let them imagine the people and creatures they belong to.

Order direct from Cavern online.

I love Blik’s Wee Gallery Growth Chart ($38) where your height is tracked by age instead of feet and inches.  Use the hand-written number decals to mark the height of your child on their birthdays.  Makes so much more sense than the traditional “ruler” type growth chart, doesn’t it?

What a great typographic wall decal for a kid’s room.  Available from Story North, ships from England.

Gotta love a bed that also works as a prop for storytelling and inspires imagination.  Named bedtimestoriesbed by Netherlands based design group, Ridder & Crown.

via Handmade Charlotte