I played Monopoly at the weekend - always a good choice when the rain is come down like stair rods. I really enjoy it when we can manage to gather together more than 2 people who don't lose really badly.
That's the thing about Monopoly, bad winners are fine, everyone is expected to crow when they're winning, but the nature of Monopoly means that even when you're obviously being taken to the cleaners, you're still there for a few rounds, and nothing spoils a good game like someone sulking hard over each throw of the dice. It spoils it for everyone else and really it's just embarrassing to see someone who's old enough to know better throwing their toys out of the pram.
Anyway, all that aside, I like Monopoly and I now have a Monopoly Keyring. Cute and shiny aren't they? I've got the dog - always my favourite piece when I can get it. The hat is a close second.
Monopoly Keyring - £5.99 from ShinyShack.com
Monopoly Keyring
Bath Plug Boat
This definitely belongs in my bathroom. Not only is there a cute little folded boat made out of a map of the world, but it's functional too.
The boat floats on the top of your bathwater, anchored by a chain which runs down to, you guessed it, the bath plug! Love it. It may even replace my rubber duck as my favourite bath toy.
Bath Plug Boat - £6.99 from ShinyShack.com
Sun Jar
I can highly recommend this as a genius gift for someone that's difficult to buy for. I have given a few of these as gifts now and they are a huge hit.
How it works: The jar is one of those big frosted Mason Jars that you'd see in the pantry in days of yore. Hidden inside the jar, under the lid is a nifty solar panel that charges a rechargeable battery that powers a light inside the jar. The switch is light activated, so the jar charges up during the day, and only lights up when it gets dark.
It really does look like you've got a little jar of sunlight. A guaranteed hit as Mother's Day present.
Sun Jar - £19.99 from ShinyShack.com
Toasted Notes
I love things that make really random connections in my brain. Toasted notes is one of these things. Look at a block of little yellow sticky notes - does it look a bit like an individual pat of butter. Put it on a rubbery pad that happens to look like a piece of toast and immediately it looks just like a pat of butter.
Bizarre but also cool. You also get 5 little notepads, so handy too.
Toasted Notes - £5.99 from ShinyShack.com
Micro Talking Dalek
I was one of those people who hid behind the sofa while watching Dr Who - back in the day when Dr Who meant big hair, multicoloured scarves and a K9 companion, (Tom Baker, we love you still).
So I take a ridiculous amount of pleasure in the little dalek on my desk. Try zapping me with your death ray now - you're only a few inches high! Very cute and just like I remember, (but smaller). If you press down on the.... I want to say head, but is it a head? I daresay someone considerably more geeky than me will know the technical term. Anyway, press down on the head and the miniature meglomaniac comes out with a threatening phrase and lurches determinedly towards whatever they're threatening.
Love it, real nostalgia, and lots of fun.
Micro Talking Dalek - £9.99 from ShinyShack.com
Scandiphone
I'm convinced that using this phone would make me feel like something out of Thunderbirds or the like. It would make phone calls exciting. Even being on hold to the bank or insurance company would be an adventure as you grip your microphone, ready to make a life or death decision. Hanging up on someone would be a definitive experience as you thump your handset down on the table.
50s Cool without the Melamine.
Scandiphone - £39.99 from ShinyShack.com
Jelly Belly Beans
A kilo of Jelly Belly Beans has appeared in the office. This is a whole lot of beans. Enough beans for all you might think, although they are vanishing rather quickly.
Jelly Belly Beans come in 49 different flavour, most of them I like, some I can take or leave, and there's a few I just love. Thankfully everyone feels the same, but about different flavours, and this has lead to an interesting bartering system in the office.
After careful consideration, I have haggled with a work colleague and exchanged my Liquorice, Toasted Marshmallow and Chocolate Pudding Jelly Belly Beans for Orange, Cantaloupe and (to die for), Cotton Candy. I'm happy, he's happy and I'm sure the Jelly Belly Beans are happy to fulfil their Jelly Belly Destiny.
A kilo of Jelly Belly Beans - £18.99 from ShinyShack.com
Pocket Garden Snapdragon
I have one of these ready to go on a windowsill next month. I'm a big fan of Snapdragons, they're one of my favourite plants, so I like the idea of having some on my windowsill. My plan is to nurture them on in the kitchen and when the weather gets nicer, plant them out into a blue glazed pot I've got tucked away, it should go really well with lovely yellow flowers.
Feeling green fingered - roll on Spring!
Pocket Garden Snapdragon - £4.99 from ShinyShack.com
Chop2Pot
I'm not the world's greatest cook. I have few basic things that I can cope with if we have people round. My safe and easy meal is Coconut Vegetable Curry. It's one of those easy things where you just assemble all the bits and pieces, chuck it in a pot for an hour and you get a tasty and reliable result.
The main problem with it is I always make a huge mess in the kitchen. All the veggies need dicing, a cauliflower, a courgette, a potato, an onion and a couple cloves of garlic. By the time I've done that and tried to transfer the lot into a big pot, the floor, worktops and all around the cooker are strewn with bits that have escaped the cooking process. Did I mention I loathe cleaning?
That's why the Chop2Pot seems like such a clever idea. It looks like an ordinary, if brightly coloured chopping board, but if you grab the handle, the sides of the board fold up neatly to form a shute. Then all you have to do is tip the contents into the bin or pot - whichever is appropriate.
I like, I like it lots. I think 3 would be the optimum number. I'd like one in pink, orange and a blue one.
Chop2Pot - £9.99 from ShinyShack.com
