From the Category "People are Weird"

Bullet-shaped ice cubes from a bullet-shaped tray. Raises once again the epistemological question, "Where do ideas come from?



















From Find Me A Gift, via StoreCrowd.

tags:
bullet ice cube tray
ice cubes

Objet du Jour: ShapeScapes

Hurrah! A set of ShapeScapes finally came up on eBay, and I won it! Most of the places I've seen it advertised, the price was like $32.00, and I got it for $12.50!

ShapeScapes has been on my "coveted objects" list for, oh, over a year now, but my budget for non-essential items is about $0.00. (Magazines, of course, are considered "essential items"--in my budget. After all, how can you do collage without them?) But given the price, I had to splurge! I'll just have to tighten the belt this month on something else. Food, perhaps.

tags:
eBay
ShapeScapes
budgeting

Such A Deal

What's even better than wonderfully quirky items from UncommonGoods? When they're on sale. For example, these darling string doll keychains are down from $12.00 to $6.95

As for this "could it be more over-the-top" candle holder, its price is less over-the-top when it's $69.95 instead of $100.











A treat for Rover or Fluffy, like these pet mats, is easier to swallow at $9.95 than $25.00.

Sale items from UncommonGoods are 62 in number, and well worth checking out.

Eclectic Detective is proud to be sponsored by UncommonGoods. A percentage of any purchases resulting from this post will help in my ardent fight against the need to find a real job.

tags:
household
bargain
sale
UncommonGoods

Stocking Stuffers

I've put together a gift list on ThisNext of great stocking stuffers for under $10.00. I thought you might enjoy it, so here it is. Click on an image and it will take you to the ThisNext post. If you click on "Buy This Item," it will take you to where the item is available online, which will show you the price. I hope you enjoy the list!

eQuilter.com Memorial Day Sale

I'm a big fan of eQuilter.com because of their amazingly broad selection of fabric, ranging from beautiful and pretty to frivolous and silly. This week they're having a Memorial Day sale (they have great sales!), with select fabrics 35% to 45% off. Fabrics that typically sell for $8 to $9 per yard are now $5 to $6 per yard.

Here's a link to their sale page. Enjoy!


tags:
fabric
sale
eQuilter.com

Objets du Jour

Just in time for Easter! (Can you sense my false enthusiasm here? I mean, it's a cute bunny whatnot holder, but my heart's just not in it. I'll just keep going through the motions for now, and we'll all hope my posts get back to normal soon.)

The Robin Hook is certainly not a robin, only a play on words. This fun, functional bunny has a variety of uses. The floppy ear and kicking legs provide great resting places for jewelry everyday or while you're in the shower. Lay pens and pencils across its legs. Available in Gold, Pink, Blue, Green, and Clear.

It would be cute to have a row of them lined up at the bottom of the bathroom mirror, all in different colors, holding toothbrushes and razors and such (*yawn*).

$2.95 at Modern Motive. By Orca. (Wait! Before you click the Orca link, turn your sound down! They have stupid music playing on their site!)

Oh, look--Orca has an actually very cool fly swatter. Who knew?


tags:
Robin Hook
Jing
fly swatter
Orca

Having Orca in my Technorati tags should get me lots of hits from people looking for killer whales. Or a database editor. Or a free online web desktop. Or open source assistive technology for people with visual impairments. Or the Old Reel Collectors Association. Or Triathalon Wetsuits. Or the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs. (I had a bit of difficulty finding the Orca site I was looking for. Or did you pick up on that?)

Objet du Jour

Just in time for Easter (except not really, as they're on back order), A Dozen Eggs Vases. I'd fill each with some of that green plastic grass and top it off with jellybeans.

$29.95 at Signals.Com.

via this next.

tags:
Easter
vases

From the Steals & Deals Files

Now that I have your attention . . .

Just a quick post to let you know that YOOX.COM is offering an exclusive deal to all of its affiliate sites, of which I am one: free shipping on all items until April 3rd!

Just enter coupon code "shop@yoox" at checkout. Have fun!

New on Steals & Deals

Be sure to check out Eclectic Detective Steals & Deals, updated today!

tags:
Steals & Deals
Home Decor
Sale

Pamela Barsky Journals

Don't you just love Pamela Barsky? I bought myself the "really mediocre writing" one for Christmas. Why? It's the perfect cure for writer's block!

tags:
Pamela Barsky
writing
notebooks

Kudos to Ikea

I'm diggin' Ikea today, and it's not just because of their pretty Arv Idyll bowl (above), or their lovely Alvine Flor quilt cover and pillowcases (below).























It's not because of their Bibbi blanket (which I'd love to see unfolded),
























or their PS Lomsk swivel chair, also available in blue.
























Why am I diggin' Ikea today? It's because of this:


That's right, the compact fluorescent lightbulb, or CFL. The CFL has gotten a lot of press lately due to its incredible energy-saving ability, resulting in lower costs for consumers and fewer demands on the environment.

Now, Ikea didn't invent the CFL. They aren't promoting the CFL. And I have no idea how their CFL prices compare with those of other retailers.

What Ikea does that other retailers do not is this: Ikea recycles the bulbs.

You see, CFL bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury, a neurotoxin especially harmful to children. Now, I really do mean a very small amount, especially compared to the mercury thermometers we used when I was a child. But enough that their presence in the garbage is, in some places, illegal, and regular curbside recycling programs won't take them.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approached a number of major retailers, including WalMart, encouraging them to accept the bulbs at their stores for recycling. So far, the only one that has started such a program is Ikea.

So kudos to Ikea today. I wish they had a store closer than 108 miles away from me. But what the heck--some things are worth the trip.

via NPR's All Things Considered.

tags:
Ikea
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb
recycling

Jeffrey Campbell Boots

Oh, dear. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a new Most Coveted Object. And me without an extra cent to be found.

But the weather has been nothing but lousy, and these boots by designer Jeffrey Campbell would be just the thing to brighten a dull, dreary day.

Repeat mantra to self: "No money in, no money out. No money in, no money out."

*sigh*

tags:
Jeffrey Campbell
designer boots
rain boots

Threadless Shirts

I just discovered that one can put other people's slideshows on one's blog. This one is by Gustavo Gallegos, and features recent t-shirt designs from Threadless.

Please do bear with me; it looks as though this slide show widget is going to be an obsession for a while. Not to worry. Simply let it run its course, and I'll soon be obsessed with something else.

tags:
threadless
slideshow
t-shirts

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Brrrrrrrrr! It's so cold outside you almost want to bundle up your housewares to keep them warm! Here are a couple that make me feel warm and cozy.

Above, tea maker by Eva Solo. Available at UnicaHome for $99.00. Below, sweaterknit votive. On sale at Anthropologie for $9.99, marked down from $24.00.
















After all, people put their pets in little sweaters, right?

tags:
Eva Solo
UnicaHome
Anthropologie

knockman!

Aren't these little fellers adorable? I just stumbled onto them at Unica Home, and wish I'd found them before I finished my Christmas shopping. (Did I say "finished"? I meant "ran out of time to order things off the internet.")

They're designed by Maywa Denki, who are described as an "art unit." I recommend that you Google them. Then go on over to Wikipedia and define them for the rest of us.

tags:
knockman
unica home
maywa denki

Tord Boontje: TABLEstories

Ok, today my Most Coveted Object is this "deer in forest" plate from Tord Boontje's TABLEstories I collection. Sure, I'd like to own a place setting or six from each of the collections, but of all the individual items I've seen, I like this one best.

Since it's available in the USA for under $100 (unicahome), it's possible that I may own it some day.

Though, let's be frank, my first Tord will probably come from Target.

tags:
Tord Boontje
TABLEstories
dinnerware

Way Cool Stocking Stuffers

Useful, tasteful, stylish gifts for $10.00 or less. You don't have to break the bank to give exquisite presents.

See more of my Way Cool Stocking Stuffers list at ThisNext.

tags:
Stocking Stuffers
ThisNext

Who Knew?

I'm so embarrassed. Nobody told me!

Great tee from Hot Topic.

tags:
skulls
t-shirt
fashion

Speaking of Scooters. . .

Some kids have all the luck. When I was a kid, they didn't even have cool stuff like this. Even if they had, it wouldn't have found its way under our Christmas tree. Too pricey. And would have been regarded as too dangerous. "You'll put your eye out!"

Now that I could splurge on something like this for a favorite child, we don't seem to have one in this age range.

I may have to adopt.

Incidentally, I have to mention how thrilled I am that the photo has a girl riding the scooter.

tags:
vespa
scooter
gifts

Funky Functionality

Sometimes all you really need is to get a foot in the door. . .

Another great product from Fred.

Available at Firebox for only $9.95.

via popgadget

tags:
doorstop
foot in the door
Fred products