I always love a good morphing gadget. I mean, why buy two things when you can buy one multi-purpose item? In addition to taking up less space, it’s nicer on the wallet (not to mention just good sense).
This Trivet Set (Generate Design, $39.00) is right up my alley. In case you don’t know (and some people don’t), a trivet is used as a barrier between a hot dish and your countertop. Some of us lazy/poor people just use a pot holder, but that’s neither here nor there. I’m already jazzed that this set includes not one, not two, but three trivets of varying colors so imagine my delight when I realized that each trivet can be repurposed into a coaster or dish drainer! The secret here is the flexible silicone they’re made of which allows them to be easily molded into another useful shape. When you look at it that way, it looks like you need some trivets in your life.
A trivet for all seasons! Well, three of them at least.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10.2″ x 8.7″ x 1.6″
-Set of 3 trivets (black, orange, red)
-Also functions as coaster or dish drainer
-Made of silicone
My place is looking kinda sad as of late. There are a quite a few imperfections on my walls that need fixing but I simply don’t have the time/energy/money/experience to deal with them at the moment. Luckily I have an easy solution for this: cover them up. Now, I’m not gonna go all college dorm room and throw a bunch of tapestries on the walls, but something has to be done.
Because I’m just as much a sucker for a good deal as I am for a quirky product, the Instantly Antique Wall Decals (Plasticland, $24.95) are my kind of wall art. As part of an exceptionally priced package, you get 35 full-color removable and restickable decals. A lot of these sticker frames are starting to show up lately, but this set has more than just a few frames – you also get hand-drawn wall art to supplement the set. So what if your flimsy walls won’t support a proper shelf? You can look arty with one of these decals instead! Also, while a lot of sticker frame sets include merely different sizes of the same type of frame, here you get varying sizes, shapes, and even colors.
I don’t know why anyone hires decorators, this is totes easy.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12″ x 12″ portfolio
-Hand drawn accessories and frames
-Includes 4 sheets of full color decals
-35 decals total
-Removable and restickable
-Child safe polysheeve
-Made of phthalate free vinyl
I was off yesterday so I decided that it would be a good day to cook something a little more involved than my traditionally half-assed dinner creations. And since it was bitterly cold out, I thought stew would be the perfect meal for such an occasion. I got out all my ingredients and started with the potatoes. In no time flat, I had turned my kitchen into a trash receptacle. There were potato peelings all over the counter, the floor, even myself. Sure, I could have dragged my trash can to where I was and peeled the potato hovering over it, but I’ve lost many a potato that way.
The Counter Edge Cutting Board with Collapsible Scrap Bin (Amazon, $24.99) allows you to go about your cooking preparations without turning your kitchen into a compost heap. The cutting board itself features an L-shaped design that easily fits over sinks or counters and has non-skid feet to ensure that it stays put. The removable scrap bin attaches to the edge of the cutting board with a seal between the two so that even liquid rich foods won’t leak out onto the floor. The bin’s four cup capacity is more than enough for most cooking preparations and the set is designed to collapse for snug storage. You might have to get accustomed to standing a little further back from your vegetables, but at least clean up will be a breeze!
In case you were wondering, my dinner was stew-licious.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11.5″ x 15.5″ x 1.8″
-Integrated bin collects scraps
-Board fits over sink and counter
-Bin attaches to board
-Bin has 4 cup capacity
-Collapses for easy storage
-Dishwasher safe
-Patent pending design
As I get older, holidays get a little less special for me. One thing I can always count on to lift my spirits around the holidays is dessert. Oh man, the desserts are so worth it. My favorite has always been cookies because you can snack on them throughout the day (they make an excellent breakfast) and they’re pretty much single servings. The only problem I can see with holiday cookies is that they aren’t around in between holidays. I’m not saying I want to be eating Christmas cookies year round, but a little festivity never hurt anyone.
The Letter Pressed Cookie Cutters (Perpetual Kid, $17.99) bring a bit of sparkle to an otherwise normal looking cookie. Each cookie cutter is double-sided so you can cut out the cookie shape with one side and press the letter shape into the cookie with the other. There are 26 letter cookie cutters as well as an ampersand and exclamation point. Now, I know what you’re thinking – ransom notes. Sure, it would probably decrease the seriousness of your point, but it would also probably put the recipient in a fantastically good mood and therefore more likely to comply with your demands.
Ransom notes: Not just for hostage situations anymore.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Set of 26 letters plus ampersand & exclamation point
-Double sided cookie cutters
-Punch out shapes on one side
-Imprint letters on other side
-Packed in reusable plastic storage trays
-Hand wash only
-Made of durable food safe plastic
Have I mentioned how klutzy I am? I’m sure I have, but in case you forgot here’s a refresher: I run into everything ALL THE TIME. My arms and legs are covered in so many bruises you’d think I was a cage fighter in The Octagon. As if that’s not painful enough, I also usually manage to mangle quite a few of my belongings on a regular basis just by existing. Nevermind the physical turmoil this is causing, but it’s getting pretty expensive replacing my gadgets and such.
Smaller items are most likely to meet their end as a result of my clumsy ways, so what I really need is something savvy like the Vintage Fold Up Wayfarer Sunglasses (Krudmart, $15.00). These sunglasses are ready for you to accidentally slam into a wall with them folded up in your pocket. See, it’s the folding that protects them from damage, unlike a traditional pair of sunglasses that would crumble into a million pieces of you looked at it wrong. I’m not saying that these things are indestructible, but they do have a leg up on the competition. I mean, they were manufactured in the 80s and 90s – what else would you expect?
Don’t try this with the sunglasses you already own. I promise, it will end badly.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Foldable sunglasses
- -Produced in 80s and 90s
