Some items are fun, some are practical, and some are very cool
by Sherry Hughes, Sentinel Staff
This year I received a host of fun things in the mail. When they arrive, I pile them up, then try them out and at the end of the year, let you know about the best ones. I did not receive a Lexus or a pair of diamond studs. I did, however, receive a water bottle, a holiday toaster, a grocery bag and some Badger products.
Pop Art Toaster
I have a toaster stamp at home of the Virgin Mary. You press it into a piece of bread and when it
comes out of the toaster, you see an imprint of the Virgin Mary, a food miracle if you ask me.
The Pop Art Toaster yields the same sort of result, only you just put the bread in the toaster and it pops up with all sorts of images on the toast — Hello Kitty, a birthday cake, a bicycle, a smiley face, a message (“Bite Me,” for example) — or holiday images.
For around $30, the two slice holiday version comes with interchangeable/removable plates of a Christmas tree, a Santa hat, stocking, Santa’s face, a snowman and a “Merry Xmas” message.
I think this is way beyond cool. It can be a morning ritual leading up to the holidays and it involves food ... so it’s sort of an automatic win for me.
Information: www.poparttoaster.com
Baggu
My sister gave me a Baggu she received at a work event. It’s a nylon bag that folds up into a
small pouch. I put it in my handbag and ended up using it for everything — groceries, newspapers, books. Baggu bags are in the shape of a plastic shopping bag, but can be carried over your shoulder or in your hand. They come in dozens of bright patterns and hold up to 50 pounds of stuff. You can throw them in the washing machine.
I have lots of bags for carrying my lunch, my recycling, my knitting, towels for my dog (when she finds a puddle). This bag is my favorite because I never forget it anywhere. It’s always in my handbag, folded up into a 5-inch pouch.
Information: www.baggu.com.
Cool-it Caddy
This little cold pouch seemed like an odd sort of gift at first. But I used it a couple of times and can now see why someone would find it useful. It’s a small pouch that you throw in the freezer overnight and then use to carry meltable things to the beach, the tennis court, the
pool, hiking.
Yes, I do wear lipstick at the beach. And yes, I would use this pouch for that. But it is also useful for carrying another meltable — chocolate. And if I don’t have a cooler with me at the beach or poolside, which I usually don’t, I can now have chocolate with me. And it’s not melted.
Chocolate was not the intended use for the Cool-it Caddy. It was designed by a woman who golfed a lot and kept finding her lip balm melted when she went to use it. So, it’s useful for makeup, but also heat sensitive medications or sunscreen.
The small pouch, which would fit in a handbag or beach tote, retails for around $40 and keeps
things cold for four to six hours. It comes in a variety of patterns and colors.
Information: www.cool-itcaddy.com
Bobble water bottle
If you are like most folks, you are constantly trying to get more water into your diet. If you are like me, you are constantly looking for a good water bottle rather than buying bottled water.
I have a filtered pitcher that I keep in my fridge at home, and at work we have a water bubbler.
The Bobble comes with a filter in the bottle. You can throw in water from a mud puddle and drink it. Just kidding. What works is pouring tap water into the Bobble. The water is filtered and there’s a spout at the top to drink from.
It comes in a bunch of bright colors and different sizes. The bottles are made of recycled plastic (PBA free), costs under $10 and can be refilled at least 300 times before changing the
filter. Filters retail for about $7. The company just added a 13-oz. sized bottle for children and also comes in 18.5 and 34 ounce sizes.
The only thing I don’t love about the Bobble is the Darth-Vader-deep breathing sound as it fills
back up with air after I take a sip. It isn’t enough to stop me from using it, but I hesitate to bring it into a meeting.
Bobbles are sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Your Kitchen Store, JC Penney and some Hallmark stores or at www.waterbobble.com
Badger Balm Lip Tints
Yeah, baby. I love Badger products, made right down the road in Gilsum. And I love that the employees get a free, organic lunch every day, but that’s another story.
The massage oils, body butters, and moisturizers are organic, free of chemicals and come in small, manageable sizes. But most of all, they work well for keeping various body parts smooth, soothed and feeling good.
And now, just to make me really happy, Badger has introduced a line of lip tints in four colors. Each tube has the tint on one end and opal shimmer on the other. They retail for $6.50 and come in garnet, red jasper, copper and rose.
Badger Balm Lip Tints are available at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Blueberry Fields, Hannaford
Supermarkets and other local outlets, and online at www.badgerbalm.com.
