Have you ever been forced to go camping, only to have it turn out worse than you could have ever imagined? Bugs the size of house pets, rock laden sleeping quarters, and Arctic Circle weather conditions in the evening are just a few of the obstacles you will encounter when forced to embrace the great outdoors. Cheer up! There’s always a way to adapt (at least that’s what you need to keep telling yourself). The first two are easy enough – you just need to get yourself some monster bug repellent and a really thick sleeping bag. But that last one? Man, that is bad news. I mean, it wouldn’t be so terrible if you, or someone in your camping clan, knew how to start a decent fire. Where are those Boy Scouts when you need them…
Well, I say who needs an Eagle Scout when you have the Tool Logic Survival Card (ThinkGeek, $19.99)! Why am I so ready to throw caution to the wind just because of a tiny card? You would be too if you had this credit card sized survival machine. First of all, you needn’t worry about perfecting the art of firestarting by rubbing two sticks together when you have this magical card. It has a replaceable magnesium alloy firestarter, as well as a 2″ stainless steel serrated blade, that you can use to jump start the campfire. Amazing, isn’t it? Now that you know you’re going to stay roasty toasty all night, there are a few other perks to mention as well. A loud signal whistle and a red LED flashlight will come in handy if you get lost while trying to find a “bathroom” in the woods. Also, the card has a tweezer and a toothpick, because who can MacGyver their way out of a situation without those two staples? Since this card is about the size of a credit card, you can keep it in your wallet for easy access and safe keeping. Or, if you want to show off your totally boss purchase, there’s a hole for lanyard attachment.
Seriously, I might actually consider camping now. And by consider, I mean use camping as an excuse to use my survival card to practice starting fires. In a totally non arson kind of way.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: about 1/8″ thick
-Weight: 1.9oz
-2″ serrated blade
-Replaceable magnesium alloy firestarter
-Loud signal whistle
-Tweezer and toothpick
-Red LED flashlight
-Hole for lanyard attachment
I’m so glad that it’s finally ice cream season! I mean, I could eat ice cream anytime, but I feel a lot less guilty about stuffing my face full of the good stuff if it’s warm out. It’s almost like you have to have ice cream on a sunny day – how else are you going to celebrate the beautiful weather? See, my problem is that I can’t just have a little bit of ice cream, I have to load it up. And then there’s the sprinkles, and the candy toppings, and the whipped cream…I digress. Since I’m all about the ice cream, I can’t go out for it all the time or else I wouldn’t have any expendable income. So I have to grab a nice gallon tub at the grocery store, which is fine, but all that ice cream scoopage is a little rough on my twig arms. And since there’s no way I’m giving up ice cream, what’s an ice cream lover like me to do?
With the Microwave Heated Ice Cream Scoop (Drinkstuff, £2.98), ice cream related injuries are sure to be at an all time low. Because the scoop itself is heated, your ice cream scoops out of the carton easier than ever. No more pumping iron just to get your daily fix of Ben & Jerry’s or ice cream flying across the kitchen as you try to chip it out of its container with a tool so bent you can hardly tell it used to be a spoon. Nope, this ice cream scoop is here to rescue you! All you have to do is heat the scoop in the microwave for no longer than 30 seconds and you’re ready to go. You don’t have to worry about burning yourself either because the handle stays cool to the touch. And, my personal favorite when it comes to kitchen gadgets, it is dishwasher safe (although you might actually consider hand washing it because of how often you’ll be using it).
Ice cream favorites:
S’more by Ben & Jerry’s
Girl Scout Tagalongs by Edy’s (virtually impossible to find)
Moose Tracks by Turkey Hill
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 46mm x 200mm x 45mm
-Weight: 170kg
-Heat scoop in microwave no longer than 30 seconds
-Handle stays cool
-Perfect for ice cream cones
-Dishwasher safe
-12 month warranty
-Delivery not available in US and Canada
Since we’re really trying to start being kind to the environment in hopes that the planet will still be here in about 20 years, it’s a good thing to look into alternative means of energy. Meaning, we should rely on gas and electricity to power all our gadgets because one day, it might not be as readily available as it is now. One of the avenues we are currently exploring is solar power. I mean, the sun is out there every day just pumping away, so it’s about time we used its UV rays for something good. And what could be better than using solar energy to power lights that would otherwise use copious amount of precious electricity?
The Solar Lights (Firebox, $9.95 each; $24.95 three pack) are a perfect example of how you can incorporate some green living in your day to day routine. I mean, how many of us are guilty of turning on our backyard lights for a party, then as the festivities wind down and we head off to bed, the lights stay on? It happens countless times, and with each time you forget to turn the lights off, you’re wasting energy (not to mention shamelessly jacking up your electric bill). Now, if you were using solar lighting, you wouldn’t have to worry about turning the lights off at the end of the night because they automatically shut off in abundant lighting. And these lights are specifically designed for outdoor use, which means that you don’t have to bring them in at the end of the night for fear that they might be ruined by a chance of scattered showers. Not only are the lights waterproof, but they also float! So you can hang these lights from the trees in your backyard to shine a property perimeter or even just drop a few in the pool for some mood lighting. Powered by an LED light with a lifetime of over 100,000 hours, I think it’s safe to say that this is an environmentally (and financially) sound investment.
Now, purchasing said lights could be a really fantastic excuse to have a party:
“Gee, I just bought these new lights and I should ask a large group of people if they work well in a party setting. Hmm, perhaps I should have a party?”
I think it’ll work out swimmingly.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5 1/4″ diameter
-Specifically designed for outdoor use
-Lifetime of LED is over 100,000 hours
-Light is designed to work in very dark areas
-Light will be dim or not turn on with nearby high ambient lighting
-Waterproof
-Lights will float in water
-Push button on/off switch on base
-Uses 1 AAA NiCad battery (included)
In honor of this lovely holiday, where everyone who’s anyone is outside grilling up a storm, I’d like to post a party friendly product. Now, I know you’re all pins and needles about what I could possibly choose to fully take advantage of an outdoor celebration, but I’m pretty sure you can guess the underlying theme. Yup, that’s right, it’s good ole adult beverages. Except this isn’t exactly a beverage, per se, but more like a beverage spin-off. I’m of course referring to an old party favorite: Jello shots. These things are a hit at any shindig – chances are, you’re going to run out faster than you can say Memorial Day. So besides making a gargantuan amount, what do you need? I’m so glad you asked…
What you need for a really good Jello shot is a quality container, which is why the Twist ‘n Shot Jello Shot Cups (KegWorks, $12.95) is perfect. See, the problem with most Jello shots (besides poor recipe, but we’ll get to that later) is the container in which they’re made. Sure, you could put them in shot glasses to be authentic, but then how are you supposed to get them out? And you could go with disposable condiment cups, but do you really want your enjoyment to come at the expense of the environment? What you need is a cup that allows for easy shot access but isn’t going to fill up a landfill. That’s where these shot cups come in – not only are they reusable and dishwasher safe, but they actually have a built-in device for releasing your tasty treats. All you have to do is pour your Jello shot mixture into each up, let it set for the appropriate amount of time, and you’re ready to unleash these bad babies on your guests. How it works is that each shot cup has a plastic twisting mechanism that allows you to scrape along the edge and bottom of the cup, freeing up the shot in its entirety. That way, you don’t have to stick your fingers in the cup to clumsily try to get every bit of alcoholic Jello goodness, while at the same time looking like a drunken buffoon. And you’re not hurting the environment by throwing away dozens of tiny paper cups. It’s a win-win.
Now, as I mentioned, you need a really good Jello shot recipe to make this work. Lucky for you, my mom makes the best Jello shots in town:
1 small box of Jello
1 cup hot water
1 cup of cold water
1/2-3/4 cup liquor
1/4 heavy cream
Add hot water to Jello and stir until dissolved. Add cold water; stir. Add liquor and heavy cream to mixture and stir. Follow the rest of the directions for regular Jello set up.
Favorite Jello & liquor combinations: orange and vodka; pineapple and rum; lime and tequila
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 1.5″ x 2″
-Capacity: 2oz
-Includes 20 reusable Jello shot cups
-Twist shot to get out
-Dishwasher safe
Greeting cards can be so generic nowadays, can’t they? I mean, I don’t want to send a birthday card that everyone else has already seen at the store. That takes all the fun out of it, or at least so I’ve been told. As a self proclaimed greeting card obsessed maniac, I know it’s hard to buy a card for me that I haven’t already seen. It’s not to say that I don’t enjoy it all the same, because I do, but I understand how it can be frustrating to take the time and effort to select the card that expresses the exact sentiments you’re feeling at that moment, only to hear those dreaded words: “Oh, I remember this card!”
All you need is the DIY Greeting Cards (Perpetual Kid, $12.99) and you’re guaranteed to never hear those five little words ever again (at least not directed at you in response to your greeting card choice). What sets these greeting cards aside from all the rest is the artistic aspect of them. I mean, with most greeting cards, your only real option to personalize them is when you sign a little message and your name at the bottom. Well, those days of creative repression are over! This three-pack of themed greeting cards comes with a black marker that allows you to customize each card so that it communicates your feelings accurately. See, each card has a theme (romance/love, thank you/congrats, and congratulations) and it is covered top to bottom in words that related to that theme. You create sentences by blacking out the words you don’t want to be visible, thereby only leaving your chosen words to speak for themselves.
Still not quite convinced? Just think of it as emotional mad libs. I mean, who doesn’t love them some mad libs?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4.5″ x 7.25″
-Includes 3 pack of themed greeting cards, 3 envelopes, and 1 black marker
-3 pack contains: 1 romance/love themed card, 1 thank you/congrats themed card, and 1 celebration themed card
-Cards are designed in the style of “fridge poetry”
