Kelly Ripa: Mother of invention

With all this Debbie Downer talk of the economy, I wanted to touch on something a little more uplifting -- particularly for moms.

I know there have been a lot of mom casualties in what's been termed the Great Recession (I've even written about it here and here), but I've also noticed that moms have been taking the extra time to focus on other projects while looking for another job. (Hello, more blog postings!) And it's pretty amazing to see what kind of creativity arises during hard times.

Turns out there's a TV series in the works that's spotlighting women and their inventions. And it's from the chipper mom herself, Kelly Ripa. She and TLC are partnering on a show that will help women inventors manufacture, market and sell their product on HSN.

There will be an open casting call in Los Angeles June 21-22, as well as dates in other major cities, but if you can't make it to one of those, here's information on how to submit your pitch.

So, ladies, unpack that hands-free diaper changer or self-cleaning high chair you've been working on. In the spirit of mom-speak, it's time to share!