That spooky time is almost upon us! Have you started your Halloween decorating yet? If you’re a true fan, your decorations went up October 1st, but some people like to wait until it gets a little closer. While sprucing up inside your home for the holiday is certainly enjoyable, the real deal happens outside. Yes, I’m aware that some of you don’t have ample yard space, but you have to work with what you got. The outdoor Halloween scene can be epic, if you have the right tools.
Nothing oozes an eerie ambiance quite like the Fogging Jack O’ Lantern (Hammacher Schlemmer, $499.95). I mean, who wouldn’t be slightly freaked out by a giant fog-breathing pumpkin? Using an internal mister, this fogger doesn’t even need special chemicals but instead uses simple tap water. Pretty cool, right? The base holds six gallons of water, which means it can produce several hours of fog, and the system automatically shuts off when the water level gets low. Escalating the fright factor, several different colored LED lights are housed within the pumpkin that emit a ghastly glow from the eyes, nose, and mouth.
I would love to put this big lug in my yard, but I just don’t know if I can handle the hefty price tag. Talk about scary…
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 36″ x 15″
-Weight: 20 lbs
-Internal mister converts water into fog
-Base holds 6 gallons of water
-Produces several hours of fog
-Pump automatically shuts off when water level is low
-Colored LED lights inside pumpkin
-Plugs into AC
-Made of weatherproof fiberglass
Sometimes, you just need a little happy to get your day going. For some people, that’s a cup of coffee. For me, it’s sugary goodness. More specifically, I really appreciate some baked goods to perk up my morning. Sure, most people could go out and grab a doughnut (to go with their coffee) from the local gas station, but that’s not nearly as satisfying as a homemade treat. Seriously, when was the last time a stale doughnut trumped a freshly baked apple pie or chocolate cookie straight from the oven? The answer is never.
Because of my love of all things home baked, I couldn’t help but shriek in excitement about the Ninjabread Men Cookie Cutters (Perpetual Kid, $7.99). I mean, anyone can bake a gingerbread cookie, but how many people out there are baking a clan of gingerbread ninjas? Not nearly enough, that’s for sure. This set of cookie cutters includes three ninjas, each of which is holding a different fighting pose. If you make enough, you could stage an elaborate battle in your kitchen. Just make sure to watch your back.
This one time, me and my friends got ahold of a package of army men and hid them all over my mom’s house as if they were engaged in an epic war. We thought it was epic; she was less than thrilled. True story.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4″ x 3″ each
-Set of 3
-Made of ABS plastic
So I actually had a healthy lunch today – salad encased in a whole wheat wrap with a touch of lite honey mustard dressing. And I was feeling pretty proud of myself until the Snack Monster attacked me. For those of you who don’t know, the Snack Monster is that feeling you get a few hours after you eat a well-balanced meal. You’re probably not even hungry but you feel like if you don’t nosh on something right quick, you might just waste away into oblivion. That’s that handiwork of the Snack Monster.
Since you can’t stop the Snack Monster (seriously, don’t even try), you might as well prepare yourself for a snack attack with the Double Dish Snack Bowl (Vat19, $17.95). A snacker’s delight, this bowl is actually two bowls in one. The top bowl rests on a slight lip of the bottom bowl, allowing for a small amount of space between the two. With its three side openings, the bottom bowl allows the snacker to discard shells, wrappers, pits, etc. without making a mess. Since the top bowl rest directly over the bottom collection dish, you can leave it out all the time without having to worry about unsightly trash piling up.
It doesn’t matter how safe you think you are, the Snack Monster will always find you. He’s lurking behind every Taco Bell run and he knows no bounds. Be careful out there, snackers.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5.5″ x 1.5″ snack bowl inside 7″ x 3″ collection dish
-Discreetly collects and conceals trash
-Collection dish features three openings
-Available in white/stone or green/white
-Dishwasher safe
-Made of 100% melamine
Remember the days when the only toy you had to play with was your imagination? Kids these days have it so great! I mean, the average child has so many toys and games, they’ll be lucky if they’ll be able to think for themselves when they grow up. I’m not saying kids shouldn’t have stuff to play with (love me some toys), but whatever happened to creativity? It was creativity that spawned such greats as the pet rock or the slinky.
If you want your child to actually have to think instead of mindlessly playing, then the Doodle Track (ThinkGeek, $14.99) is for you. Instead of placating your child with a multitude of bells and whistles, this toy acts on their imaginative abilities. Using the included marker, your child can draw a path for the race car on any type of paper (unlike those gimmicky newfangled toys) and the race car will follow the line. Because the race car uses optical sensors to guide it along any black line, it doesn’t have any preset courses. Essentially, whatever track your child can dream up, the race car will follow. Probably best not to draw a line up the walls though because cars tend not to drive upside down. Just a thought.
You know what was a really good creative toy when it first came out and is still popular today? Legos. Who doesn’t love Legos? Communists, that’s who.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Includes car, marker, and printed demo sheet
-Open ended toy encourages imagination and creativity
-Optical sensors in car guide it along any black line
-Uses 2 AAA batteries (not included)
-Ages 4 and up
I’m a bit of a foodie. Well, what I mean to say is that I really enjoy eating and cooking food, but I tend to have specific tastes. Some might call me picky, but I prefer to think that I know what I like and there’s nothing wrong with that. I do like to experiment with my tried and true favorite recipes, which is how I discovered my love for roasted garlic. For all of you out there who think that you don’t like garlic, just try it roasted. It’s a whole different animal.
The one drawback to roasting garlic is the time constraint. I mean, who has a minimum of an hour to spend roasting garlic? Furthermore, who wants to wait that long? The Electric Countertop Garlic Roaster (Kegworks, $34.95) is the answer to an impatient stomach’s grumblings. This roaster features a removable roasting cup with nonstick coating, making clean-up fairly easy, and it boasts a roasting time of less than 30 minutes. That’s right, you can enjoy roasted garlic in as little time as it takes to have a pizza delivered! You can roast up to three garlic bulbs at one time without monopolizing precious oven time/space. And with an automatic shut off setting, you don’t have to worry about burning down your house just because you wanted to enjoy some garlicky goodness.
Mmm, roasted garlic and brie on a pita chip…does it get any better than this??
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6.75″ x 7.25″ x 7.75″
-Weight: 3.5 lbs
-600 watts, 120 volts
-Removable roasting cup with nonstick coating
-Holds up to 3 garlic bulbs at one time
-Roasting takes just 27 minutes
-Automatic shut off
-31″ power cord
-White finish
-One year manufacturer warranty
