It mildly shocks me that women haven't demanded more variety when it comes to their hair ties. Doesn't it seem strange that we've never really yearned for more beautiful alternatives to the plain, old, fabric-laden rubber band? These are some of the reasons that I absolutely love this copper "hair tube" seen above. Not only is it gorgeous, but it's different from the boring-ass hair ties that dominate the doorknobs in my house (that's where I keep all my hairties, on doorknobs throughout the house - it's actually a great way to always find one when you need one).
Pasta Measuring Tool
Leftover pasta is usually always (but sometimes not) gross, can we agree on that? And I'm always making too much or too little of it since, well, I'll never fully understand things like ounces, grams and "serving sizes." I'm sorry, but they didn't any of this stuff in school like they should have.
Solution? This guy.
Photo Credit: Joseph Joseph
Why the hell am I only learning NOW that these exist? It's $10 and handy as hell to have in a kitchen.
LiquiGlide
“LiquiGlide is the first and only company to create permanently wet slippery surfaces. There is no other durable solution that makes viscous liquids slide easily.”
Ummm, THIS IS AMAZING. If you're like me and have a billion questions, it's best for you to just go on over here for some answers.
Do you understand how cool an idea this is? You'll never waste a drop of anything again IN YOUR LIFE. Is it just me or is that ketchup video fucking mesmerizing to watch? It's so silky, damnit. You can watch other things slide out of glasses and tubes over here, ya know, if you're into it.
THE FUTURE!
Real Mistletoe at Trader Joe's
$2!
$2!
I've never understood why it's so hard to get your hands on real mistletoe in the month of December. A few years ago, I walked into a flower shop and asked for some and the guy's response was, "Sorry, this isn't 1943." Seriously! I laughed, but cried a little inside, too. WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO FIND?!
You can imagine my delight when I saw that Trader Joe's packages and sells them for $2 a box. TWO DOLLARS A BOX! I wish I'd have found this out earlier 'cause then I would've bought a bundle and shipped them to all my people. Is there not a more romantic sight to be seen in your household than this hanging from above?!
Love, love, love it. Then again, you already know that I'm a big fan of any kind of mandatory romance.
Scissortape
Available on Amazon for $10
Available on Amazon for $10
This is probably the handiest thing you can own in your home gift wrapping station. What's that? You don't have a home gift wrapping station? How embarrassing for you...
First things first, you should get on that. And if you're telling me that you don't wrap enough gifts to warrant a designated station - then you need to become a more giving person, maybe.
In any case, THESE SCISSORS ARE MY EVERYTHING.
Melting Toht Candle
Ummm, this is fantastic. And probably the world's best gift for anyone whose favourite movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
As it burns, it looks more and more like Gestapo agent Arnold Ernst Toht as his face melts off at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark (the first Indiana Jones movie), when the Nazis open the Ark of the Covenant and suffer the wrath of God. You can get this ($32) Melting Toht Candle from Firebox.
Brick Clips
Available at Lee Valley Tools
Available at Lee Valley Tools
“These handy clips let you quickly attach anything to brick without in any way damaging either the bricks or the mortar bond. Great for tying up vines, holding a trellis in place, or hanging wreaths on a brick wall. Clips securely snap in place by hand and each can hold up to 25 lb — no tools are needed for installation.”
I'm convinced that there are answers to every single one of life's problems, it's just a matter of finding those answers. This clip? Such a genius idea. Already bought two packs. They're $9/per 4-pack, which isn't crazy at all considering it's such a specialty item.
e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit
$3
$3
If a) you're not picky and b) it's not raining outside - then this is the eyebrow system for you.
Every time I'm in the vicinity of e.l.f. products, I find it extremely hard not to overindulge and buy everything in sight. Their prices are insane and some of the products actually work better than some I've sampled from Sephora.
Normal, sad eyebrows (left) & e.l.f-ed up eyebrows (right)
I'm sorry you have to look at my creepy one eye shots (I'm purposely not making that an image you can open/zoom - in fear of someone walking in on you looking at such an enlarged eye photo and labelling you a serial killer), but you can see the difference that an eyebrow filler makes.
The worst part? If you touch your face a lot, it smudges like mad. I tend not to touch my face, so I haven't really run in to this problem. But also, why would you touch your face a lot? That's gross, stop that.
I started using this kit as the backup (or sometimes in conjunction with) the Anastasia one I like and there's probably no going back for me now. I will continue to sample new eyebrow pencils and systems until I magically find one that isn't over $20 and is somehow all-weather friendly.
The Whiskey Wedge
The purpose of this glass? You can keep your whiskey cold without watering it down. When you order one set ($15), it includes an old fashioned whiskey glass and a silicone mold. You put some water in the glass, insert the mold, then freeze. The ice "forms into a wedge and, similar to a glacier, melts slowly due to the reduced amount of surface area."
At first this sounded like a lot of effort to me, but if you have at least one drink a night when you come home from work, if this is waiting for you in a freezer? That's pretty sweet to come home to. Ya know, if you're into that kind of thing. You can buy a set over here.
Breakfast To Go Container
I'm not saying that Martha Stewart doesn't have an amazing team, but I love her personally for having this container available through her Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's.
It's a small (to-go) container with a rubberized airtight seal, it has two compartments to separate wet and dry ingredients and a snap-in spoon (it snaps into the bottom of the top layer). It's ideal for taking yogurt, granola, berries, milk or cereal on the go in the morning or whenever.
Is this not fantastic? If there's one thing that gets me hot and bothered all over, it's purposeful, fancy tupperware. I just bought one recently and I can't tell you how nice it is to have yogurt and granola as a snack when you're out in the world and you don't want to eat terribly.