I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love tea. I really, really love tea. I’ve tried to cut back, but I can’t seem to shake the uncontrollable urge to drink 5+ cups a day. Now, when you’re a tea fanatic such as myself, you need to have the latest and greatest in tea hardware to support your addiction. And since I’m such a tea maniac, I have just about everything there is to have that is tea related. So I don’t want to hear about those boring old generic infusers or the nauseatingly cute teabag trays. I want passion! I want conviction! I want devotion! And I want it all in some sort of tea related paraphernalia!
Ladies and gents, you’d better prepare yourself for the Tea Control Teapot with Brew Stop Infuser (Wrapables, $29.99). This teapot is freaking amazing. You know how when you use a normal tea infuser, you have to take it out and empty it when you want to stop steeping your tea? Not the case with this bad boy. The infuser is built into the teapot, and when you decide that your tea is strong enough, all you have to do it close the door. That’s right, there’s a little sliding door inside the teapot, that when you turn it, it covers the area of the infuser so your tea stays perfect. With its heat resistant glass, you can even put this teapot in the microwave so it’s not like you have to sit around waiting for water to boil on the stovetop.
Just think of the next time you have a tea party, and you whip this little teapot out. Everyone will be so amazed at the amount of technological advancement compacted in a single teapot. It might just be enough to make them forget that you still have tea parties.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4.75″ diameter
-Holds 28 oz of liquid
-Heat resistant glass
-Available in red, black, or blue
-Dishwasher and microwave safe
A wise person once said, “Without lamps, there’d be no light.” And I totally agree, with the exception of the sun, moon, and a variety of other light source technologies, lamps are pretty much the only light source known to man. But you know what sucks about lamps? For the most part, they’re pretty boring. I mean, when was the last time you went lamp shopping and you got all excited about it? I’m gonna guess never. Basically no one wants to go shopping for lamps, but it’s just one of those things you have to do when you become an adult, like getting a job or paying child support. It wouldn’t be so bad if all the options weren’t so boring and unoriginal. Like, ooh look, here’s another lamp shaped exactly like a lamp should be shaped, because I’m super excited to buy that. No, that’s just not going to cut it. I want, nay, I need a lamp with some oomph!
Step right up and take a look at DIY Dinosaur Lamps (ThinkGeek, $19.99), the answer to all your lamp related problems. I mean, has there ever been a cooler lamp than these illuminated paper dinosaurs? In case you’re wondering, the answer is no. While each set comes with a 120V AC cord and switch, you do have a choice of Triceratops, Diplodocus, or T-Rex. Tough call, I know, but what’s wrong with getting all three and putting them in different rooms around the house? Or you could get all T-Rexes and stage a secret Jurassic Park invasion on your roommate, which would be hilarious. I know you’re a little hesitant to purchase these because of the whole DIY thing, but these things are not hard to put together. For starters, they come with instructions (always a bonus) that have pictures for every step. Also, it’s just slot together construction, so there’s no tools or extra pieces required. You’re pretty much looking at about 30-40 minutes of construction time, but come on, who else can say that they built a dinosaur in under an hour?
The one thing that’s not included in the package is the actual light bulb, but that’s no biggie. Just make sure to get a low wattage one as per the instructions – you don’t want a flaming T-Rex waking you up in the middle of the night. Trust me.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: Approx 13″ tall, depending on dinosaur
-Choose from Triceratops, Diplodocus, or T-Rex
-Includes: dinosaur, 120V AC cord and switch, and directions
-Easy slot together construction
-Step by step instructions include photographs
-Construction time about 30-40 min
-Bulb not included (do not exceed recommended wattage)
Is winter over yet? I mean, seriously, this cold weather thing is just not for me. You have to get all bundled up just to go outside, and then once you reach your destination, you have to spend half your lifetime peeling off the layers. And that’s not even the worst part! Dressing in all those bulky layers makes it virtually impossible to snuggle up to your sweetie. Alright, if my ginormous jacket impedes my snuggle proximity, I can handle that. But if wearing massive gloves to keep my fingers from falling off means that I can’t even hold hands with my honey, then I am monumentally peeved. So how can I keep my romance alive without destroying my digits?
If you were thinking Smittens Hand-Holding Mittens (Amazon, $29.99), then you would be correct. These mittens are almost too cute – I mean, you have to be a very secure individual to sport these because they stop just short of being vomit inducing. When you purchase a set of these mittens, you get two regular sized mittens and one extra large mitten to share. That way you can each put on a mitten, then share one in the middle. I can see how these things could be a little inconvenient though – I mean, do you put your hands in at the same time or do you have to ease your hand in after your beloved’s? What if someone is behind you and they rudely try to walk between your unmistakably strong bond? Actually, that one seems like bonus because then you could closeline them for their audacity.
So yeah, you might look a bit like an idiot if you and that special someone are walking around wearing these mittens. But really, what other way is there to showcase your love for one another that is as glaringly apparent as this? Unless you walk around in a perpetual three legged race, there really isn’t. And I don’t recommend that. It’s pretty time consuming.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5.5″ x 7.5″
-Includes two individual mittens and one to share
-100% polyester
-Machine wash cold
