I always thought the kids who could make animals out of paper were so cool. I mean, it can’t be that hard, but every time I tried to make a crane or even a flower, I couldn’t. I always got almost there and then something would go drastically wrong, and my “animal” would turn into a giant crumbled ball of paper. People have tried to sit me down and teach me the ways of origami, but I am far too lazy and have way too short an attention span to sit through an entire paper folding lesson. So how am I supposed to impress my friends?
With the Origami Sticky Notepad (Nerd Seven, $3.95), of course! This notepad has 100 sticky notes in each pad, and 10 possible folding patterns on each note sheet. So basically, after writing 10 notes you can learn how to create 10 paper masterpieces. If you wanted to write a super cute note to your fiancée, you could use this notepad and then fold it into a butterfly. Or, you could just use the note sheets as a guideline and use different paper to make your origami creations, but then you have to make sure they’re a perfect square first (and that’s just sounds like a lot of work to me). You could send your note off, sans paper folding, to a friend and let them try their hand at origami art. Either way, I think you’re making the world a better place through your art.
Remember that story about the girl with cancer who wanted to make 1000 paper cranes before she died? Maybe you should start helping her out.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-100 sticky notes in each pad
-1 of 10 folding patterns on each sheet
-Turns old notes into desktop art
You lost it again, didn’t you? You put your wine glass down when you went to go get some more cheese and crackers, and now you can’t find it. Again. When are you going to learn that you’ve got to keep your drink with you at all times? Now I bet someone else is enjoying that rare vintage that you brought to the party, but didn’t share with anyone else because it was just that special. I hope you enjoy house wine because that’s what you’ll be forced to guzzle for the rest of the evening. Good going, loser.
You know what could have saved you this misfortune? The Wine Glass Plate Clips (Drinkstuff, £2.99), that’s what. These clips can be attached to any plate and will hold your wineglass while you work the room, meet some new people, or just get some grub. They’re perfect for parties and buffets, where you don’t want to be tied down to one location for the whole night but you still want to get something to eat. Just think of how freeing it would be to not have to worry about where you set your drink down or how you’re going to shake your new CEO’s hand when you have a plate in one hand and a drink in the other. Liberating, isn’t it?
The clips are sold in sets of four, so you can either stock up for your own party or just carry a few with you to the next shindig you attend. Then you can decide who will be the chosen trio to benefit from your brilliant preparedness. But choose wisely, because a shiesty person might take said clip and run. I mean, they are one hot commodity.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 80mm x 57mm x 18mm
-Pack weight: 50g
-Sold as a pack of 4
-Wine glass holders that clip on to any plate
-Always have one hand free
-Ideal for parties and buffets
-Not available for delivery in the United States or Canada
There isn’t a whole lot of decorating fun to be had when you’re working with a bathroom. I mean, usually it’s a small space and anything you’ve got in there is purely for functional purposes. Yeah, you could try to paint it some funky colors and liven it up a bit, but chances are you’re just gonna look like you’re colorblind. No, I think the key to an interesting powder room is to get a good theme going. Usually you can do that with the little necessities scattered throughout the room, like a soap dish or tissue box holder. By far, the most telling item in a person’s bathroom (besides the contents of their medicine cabinet) is the toothbrush holder. The toothbrush holder is where the whole bathroom theme starts. Will it be a jungle or dolphins? Kitty cats or puppy dogs? Only the toothbrush holder can decide.
Go on, set the stage for your bathroom decor with the Stag Toothbrush Holder (Perpetual Kid, $8.99). I mean, not only is it fully functional as a toothbrush holder, but it also hold your toothpaste! That’s right, all you have to do is fold over the bottom edge of the toothpaste tube and slide the end into the slot of the stag’s mouth. That’s it, you’re done. You can just leave it in there, unscrewing the cap and squeezing out a bit of toothpaste as needed. Another reason why this toothbrush holder is superior to its fellow holders is that it’s a vertical holder. Yeah, I know, this has been done before, but never as magnificently as this. First off, everyone knows vertical holders are the way to go because then when the excess water drips off your toothbrush, it doesn’t pool into the bottom of a cup and grow nastiness over time. But this vertical holder is rocking because your toothbrushes hang on the stag’s antlers. They just hang there, perfectly suspended amongst the stag’s majesty.
I really think this toothbrush holder could peacefully coexist within any bathroom motif. Owls? I’m sure they’re pretty good friends with their wilderness buddy, the stag. Rubber ducky? As long as the ducky doesn’t try anything quacky, the stag will play it cool. Pretty much anything put a campfire theme. Because everyone knows that if there’s a campfire roaring, a hunter can’t be far behind.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6″ x 7″ x 2″
-Holds toothpaste and up to 4 toothbrushes
-Includes suction cups for mounting
-Available in brown or white
-Made of plastic
I am constantly writing myself little notes throughout the day so I can remember what I’m doing later that day or next week. The problem is, not only do I go through an ungodly amount of Post-its, but I can never seem to find my helpful little reminders when it really matters. Sure, I could write stuff on my calendar, but the space usually isn’t big enough to write more than one thing per day. Plus, then I would have to take it off my wall (which is a pain) or write on it while it’s hanging up (which is illegible). What I need is something that I can bring with me everywhere, that’s pretty much second nature, so I’ll always know what time my appointments are.
Luckily, with the Write-on Mug (X-treme Geek, $9.95), I know I won’t be missing out on any important meetings. How can I be so sure? Well, I love a good cup of tea, so you can be sure that I’m never going to lose track of my mug. And with a mug as special as this one, that’s a good thing. See, you can write your daily activities on the side of the mug with the included pencil so you’ll always know exactly what’s on your agenda for that day. There’s even a section off to the side to expand on your notes or to write an urgent message for yourself. And all you have to do to start over is wash the mug. That’s it. How simple is that?
Ok, so maybe you’re not a morning cup o’ joe person. Maybe you’re more of a glass after glass of soda throughout the afternoon type of person. No problem. X-treme Geek also carries a Write-on Glass for the same price, and handy note taking abilities, as the mug. Now what’s your excuse for missing the big presentation?
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3 1/2″ x 3 1/8″
-Includes pencil and printed reminder to take a coffee break
-Just wash to erase notes
MacGyver was pretty badass, wasn’t he? I mean, here was a man who could get out of virtually any situation just by using objects that were within his immediate reach. That takes a lot of skill. Not everyone can use a small wind up clock, some wiring, and a Swiss Army knife to rig an electrical system. But, if you want to be optimistic about it, maybe all you really need is a quality utility knife to jump start your MacGyver skills.Then again, skill like that takes a bit of time to master, so you’d probably have to start out with one heck of a tool set.
To that note, I present you with the Giant Swiss Army Knife (ThinkGeek, $999.00). I guarantee this knife’s beauty would make MacGyver weep. For one, this isn’t any ordinary knife – it’s gigantic. I mean, really, it is a beast of a knife. Weighing in at just under three pounds and almost nine inches wide, it’s not really as portable as a traditional Swiss Army knife. However, it’s not like any of that space is wasted here because there are 85 tools built into this single knife. Yup, 85! There’s a reason why this knife id the Guinness World Record holder for the most multifunctional penknife (I mean, it’s kinda a no-brainer). Ok, so you might not be able to carry it around with you everywhere and the price is a bit steep, but you’ve got to admit the sheer awesomeness of this knife. Keep it in your car or at the office; it would be perfect for a long camping weekend. And it has a lifetime warranty, so you know that your money is gonna be well spent.
Yeah, I know that just owning this knife isn’t gonna turn you into some kind of superhero. But, I do think that if you flash it around a bit, not a whole lot of people are gonna mess with you. I wouldn’t recommend bringing it through airport security though. Somehow, I think that might end badly.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 8.75″ wide
-Weight: 2lbs, 11oz
-Contains 85 tools built into a single knife (see complete list)
-Guinness World Record holder for most multifunctional penknife
-Special edition knife
-Manufactured by Wenger (maker of the Genuine Swiss Army Knife)
-Lifetime warranty
