Here's one for the beer lover who has everything: the Beer Holster. Okay, so this may initially seem like pure gag gift material, but for those serious about beer and beer drinking it could prove an indispensable accessory. Fashioned much like a cowboy's firearm hip holster, it attaches to any standard belt, allowing the wearer to get their party on with their hands blissfully free and unencumbered. Never hunt for a clear, stable surface upon which to rest your beer at a party again!
Relatedly, you might want to consider partnering your holster with a handy-dandy Beer Hammer. Perfect for beer emergencies (and who hasn't had one of those at one time or other?), the Beer Hammer will help you crack open any bottle right-quick, and comes equipped with a built-in bottle opener where the claw-end of your average hammer would be. Who says drinking and carpentry don't mix?
The Beer Holster is $30, and the Beer Hammer goes for $11.95
The modern kitchen isn't merely a room where food is prepared, but it's become a place where people are almost magnetically drawn to gather together, as anyone who's thrown a party lately knows (it seems everyone ends up huddled together in the kitchen, regardless of its size). So why not make yours as inviting and well-designed as the rest of your home?
One of these awesome retro-styled fridges from Big Chill would undoubtedly be a welcome, stylish addition, as would one of their vintage-look matching stoves. Made with all the amenities of contemporary counterparts (no defrosting!) and available in a rainbow of colors (as well as custom colors, upon request), these are -- despite appearances -- definitely not your mother's appliances.
Fridges retail for $2,700, while the stoves go for $3,695 (electric), $3,895 (dual fuel) and $3,995 (gas).
Perhaps you think Disney is all kids stuff? Well, think again! Stars like Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, and Eva Longoria have all been spotted sporting baubles from Disney Couture's specialty line of jewelry, proving that the house of mouse indeed appeals to children of all ages.
This Princess Collection Signature Wrap Bracelet, seen dangling on the arm of Nichole Richie, is fashioned from braided white leather and features 14-kt gold-plated charms in shapes symbolic of all seven Disney princesses (glass slippers, genie bottles, apples, etcetera). Suitable for princesses young and old alike, this is a charm bracelet that says: someday my prince will come... but in the meantime, I intend to look fabulous without him!
The wrap bracelet is $300; other Disney Couture pieces are priced from $45 to $1,200.
Though this winter has been unseasonably warm throughout most of the U.S., I think it can still safely be considered "scarf weather." And thank goodness for that because it means you still have time to show off one of these awesome scarves from bits2die4. Made from 100% merino wool, each scarf is emblazoned with the chunky images of space invaders and other lo-res favorites from back in the day of Atari 2600's reign. This is geek chic at its finest, my friends.
Available for purchase (PayPal only) via the b2d4 site, each scarf is 39 EUR (approximately $51).
Does any kid not dream of being a superhero? Of leaping tall buildings in a single bound, and rescuing friends and house pets from imagined distress? Help fuel your kid's future imaginary heroics by snagging one of these super cute personalized capes for them from Ellie Bellie Kids. Available in the classic comic book hero shades of bright blue and orange, each easy-care cotton cape comes monogrammed with the letter of your choice, transforming your child from a mild-manned kid into a daring hero or heroine in seconds!
Pet owners with a sense of humor will love these cute pet charms from the Pamela Barsky Boutique. Emblazoned with domestic pet quips like "So much to smell, so little time" and "I love long wet kisses and walks by the beach," these tags will surely add a little humorous bling to Fido's collar.
Also check out the Log Dog -- an adorable squeaky dog toy made of corduroy and silk screened cotton fashioned into the shape of a log.
The pet charms are $12 and the Log Dog is $14. Both are available at the Pamela Barsky online Boutique.
As a parent, I know just how hard it is to find clothes and shoes for kids that aren't either covered with animated characters or blandly cutesy (floral patterns! Bows and hearts!), so I'm always excited when I find children's apparel with real, honest-to-goodness style, like this footwear collection designed by Vincent Shoes. From the leather-and-suede William to the thick-soled Linus, these shoes are both modern-looking and practical. In fact, I'm so taken with these Smith sneakers, I almost wish they make them for adults!
All available at the Vincent Shoe Store from $49 to $54.
On a drizzly, gray day like today, I'm reminded that I am yet again no longer in possession of a working umbrella. (I seem to compulsively lose them within a week of their purchase.) I'm starting to think that perhaps the solution here is snagging an umbrella I like so much that it will be virtually unforgettable, as opposed to the bland, interchangeable black Totes models I've unconsciously abandoned year after year.
Through my search for an umbrella I can't forget, I've come upon some lovely finds. These Marimekko Umbrellas, as well as the whole of Pare Umbrella's collection, apply colorful graphic patterns to today's classic form, while Bella Umbrella employs a variety of unique, vintage styles from the early 1900s through the 1960s, and even include gorgeous jewel-handled models.
Umbrellas like these don't come cheap, however: prices start at $40 (for most of the Marimekko line), and run up to $200 and beyond for some of the more elaborate Bella models. Still, considering how many cheap, disposable umbrellas I go through in a year, I think it might be worth investing in one I'll feel compelled to keep a tight grip on.
Though I've never been much of a jewelry-freak myself -- being solidly content with a few cherished, understated pieces that I wear primarily for sentimental reasons -- I have to admit that I perked up a bit when I saw these Baby Vamp Necklaces from Bittersweets NY. Fashioned from 14K gold, they closely resemble those plastic vampire chompers everyone dusts off around Halloween, and so have a lighthearted, nudge-wink sort of humor about them that I find adorable.
The perfect gift for someone you'd like to nibble on a little (or a lot), the necklace is available through Bittersweets NY's online store, and will set you back $375.
It appears that some in Hollywood believe the answer to that question is "Yes!" -- especially in light of a recent surge in the popularity of gemstone necklaces among celebrity parents. Both mothers and mothers-to-be -- including Heidi Klum, Britney Spears, and Tori Spelling -- are devotees of Energy Muse necklaces, which claim to harness powers of protection and health for those who wear them.
According to Energy Muse, their gemstone jewelry can help parents "stay grounded," and give them much-needed energy, while bolstering their overall well-being. The Celebrity Gallery on their website pairs stars with their stones, revealing Heidi Klum's affection for the quartz, garnet, and hematite-laden First Chakra necklace (which claims to make the wearer "safe, grounded and confident"), and Britney's for the freshwater pearl and citrine High Priestess model (whose benefits allegedly include enhancing personal power and self-esteem). Now if only they could create some sort of gemstone-based amulet that would enhance a certain someone's memory regarding the application of underwear...
Energy Muse necklaces are available through their online store, and are priced anywhere from $50 to over $600, depending on the stones used.
I've always been a sucker for sweet retro-inspired goods, so when I stumbled upon this Sky King Tricycle by Airflow I was immediately taken with it. Modeled after the 1936 original, its soft powder-blue curves have a kind of optimistic futurism that hearkens back to the sparkling chrome and fin-laden design of mid-20th century automobiles. Trick this baby out with one of the whimsical French bicycle bells from Wishing Fish, and your kid will surely be the most styling mini-hotrodder in your neighborhood.
The trike, available through Saks Fifth Avenue, will set you back a cool $265 clams, while the bells go for a paltry $15.
I don't know where to sanely begin with this, so I'll just jump right on in: an artist from North Carolina named Kate Kretz has created a work of art -- a painting entitled Blessed Art Thou -- that employs saintly-looking images of Angelina Jolie and her kids (contrasted with images of dull, drone-like WalMart shoppers beneath her) as a way to critique what she sees as a culture sick with celebrity worship (and honestly, I've been feeling a little peaked myself lately -- you?).
And while I'm no art critic and would never pretend to be, I must say that though intellectually I get it, my immediate, gut-level response to that image is: "Whoa, that's creepy." (Being a Good American Consumer, however, my second response is: "Wow, her hair looks terrific!")
If you embrace your inner geek as I do (I also embrace my outer geek, such is the breadth of my flaming nerdiness), you'll, doubtless, drool all over your computer (as I did) when you spy these funny and fabulous computer key rings fashioned from salvaged keyboards by Azerty Objects.
Maybe this is something like wearing your tech dweebishness on your sleeve (err, hand, rather), but if loving overt displays of Dork Style is wrong, I have to confess to you people, I just plain don't wanna be right.
(Contact the artist directly via the link above to order.)
| Posted Jan 22nd 2007 4:10PM by Tracey Gaughran-Perez
Here's one for the beer lover who has everything: the Beer Holster. Okay, so this may initially seem like pure gag gift material, but for those serious about beer and beer drinking it could prove an indispensable accessory. Fashioned much like a cowboy's firearm hip holster, it attaches to any standard belt, allowing the wearer to get their party on with their hands blissfully free and unencumbered. Never hunt for a clear, stable surface upon which to rest your beer at a party again!
The modern kitchen isn't merely a room where food is prepared, but it's become a place where people are almost magnetically drawn to gather together, as anyone who's thrown a party lately knows (it seems everyone ends up huddled together in the kitchen, regardless of its size). So why not make yours as inviting and well-designed as the rest of your home? 
Perhaps you think Disney is all kids stuff? Well, think again! Stars like Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, and Eva Longoria have all been spotted sporting baubles from 
Though this winter has been unseasonably warm throughout most of the U.S., I think it can still safely be considered "scarf weather." And thank goodness for that because it means you still have time to show off one of these 
Does any kid not dream of being a superhero? Of leaping tall buildings in a single bound, and rescuing friends and house pets from imagined distress? Help fuel your kid's future imaginary heroics by snagging one of these super cute 
Pet owners with a sense of humor will love 
As a parent, I know just how hard it is to find clothes and shoes for kids that aren't either covered with animated characters or blandly cutesy (floral patterns! Bows and hearts!), so I'm always excited when I find children's apparel with real, honest-to-goodness style, like 
On a drizzly, gray day like today, I'm reminded that I am yet again no longer in possession of a working umbrella. (I seem to compulsively lose them within a week of their purchase.) I'm starting to think that perhaps the solution here is snagging an umbrella I like so much that it will be virtually unforgettable, as opposed to the bland, interchangeable black Totes models I've unconsciously abandoned year after year. 
Though I've never been much of a jewelry-freak myself -- being solidly content with a few cherished, understated pieces that I wear primarily for sentimental reasons -- I have to admit that I perked up a bit when I saw these 
It appears that some in Hollywood believe the answer to that question is "Yes!" -- especially in light of a recent surge in the popularity of gemstone necklaces among celebrity parents. Both mothers and mothers-to-be -- including Heidi Klum, Britney Spears, and Tori Spelling -- are devotees of 
I've always been a sucker for sweet retro-inspired goods, so when I stumbled upon this 
I don't know where to sanely begin with this, so I'll just jump right on in: an artist from North Carolina named 
If you embrace your inner geek as I do (I also embrace my outer geek, such is the breadth of my flaming nerdiness), you'll, doubtless, drool all over your computer (as I did) when you spy 
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