Daily Extra / Follow-up: Bananagrams

Way back in December, I posted about the Bananagrams game that I'd seen all over the place for last Christmas season: in Hallmark card stores, in department stores, in this little game kiosks they set up in the mall.... Well, now that I've actually played it a few times, I wanted to mention it again because it really is a very fun game! My husband and I went to the World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal back in August, and the hotel we were staying in gave us so many Happy Hour free drink coupons that we could have spent the entire trip tipsy. Instead, we invited our friends who were in other hotels to come over for Happy Hour. One of them brought Bananagrams, and because it requires no pencils, no paper, no nothin', we played right there in the bar while drinking wine and munching on cheese and crackers.

Lots and lots of fun. I definitely recommend playing with at least three people, though. You can play with two, but it's just not as fun.

I've also noticed that there are imitators waiting in the wings for this Christmas season -- at least two games in little apple-shaped pouches (Appletters and Scrabble Apple), and even a green pear-shaped game called Pairs in Pears! Me, I think I'll stick with the bananas for a while.

I won't bother listing where to buy this, because you're going to see it everywhere this holiday season. I even saw a Spanish version on Amazon!

Shopping Around (for more Key Caps)

Back on March 5, I posted about monkey and skeleton key caps from the Archie McPhee website. Well, today I found those same sets on the Perpetual Kid website for $3.99 instead of the $5.95 Archie McPhee listed them for. To me, this just goes to show that it pays to shop around!

But the other reason I'm bringing this up is that the Perpetual Kid website has lots more key caps, several of which I like a lot better than the monkeys and skeletons I originally posted about! To be fair, the monkeys and the skeletons represent the best bargains because there are six to a set for that $3.99 price. Then they start getting more expensive:

• Two Robo Key Covers (retro robots) for $4.99
  
  
• Two Lucha Key Covers (Mexican wrestler masks) for $4.99
  
  
• Two Hello Kitty Pirate & Skull Bow Key Caps for $8.99
  
  
• Two Hello Kitty Fruit Key Caps for $8.99
  
  
• A single Muppets Animal Key Cap for $4.99
  
  
• A single Muppets Kermit Key Cap for $4.99
  
  
• A single Smurf Key Cap for $4.99
  
  
• A single Cupcake Key Cap for $4.99

I admit, they do start getting a little pricey when a single key cap gets up to $4.99, but I really do love the Muppets key cap and the Cupcake key cap in particular. I think these are terrific stocking stuffers! And if they sell well, I bet we'll be seeing lots more new designs in the next year or so....

(And I don't know about you, but I'm always trying the wrong key first, especially at work. I could use a couple of these!)

Daily Extra / Follow-up: Jac Zagoory T. Rex (and other) Staple Removers

Just this past Friday, I posted about the Jac Zagoory T. Rex Staple Remover. Over the weekend, I received a very gracious e-mail from Mr. Zagoory thanking me for the post, and giving me some information that helps put the price of the item in context. Mr. Zagoory explains that all of his pieces are made locally in the USA, using high quality pewter (as opposed to many pieces that are made with pewter from the Orient, which can have a high lead content, turning the pewter a dull gray over time). The actual staple remover mechanism is a new design by an American inventor, and the entire piece is hand-assembled and placed in a high-quality gift box that is also made in the USA. So while the staple remover is not inexpensive, I certainly regret calling the price "outrageous" without knowing more about it.

And I'm so glad Mr. Zagoory e-mailed me, because it prompted me to go look at his website. Somehow it just didn't occur to me (I was sick most of last week, and not terribly coherent) that he would have other staple remover designs that would be just as enticing, but he certainly does. Click here to see his bear, lion, shark, gator, elephant, and (my favorite, pictured right) dragon, among others. Mr. Zagoory's website also has his staplers, pen holders, and pens available.

What: Jac Zagoory Staple Removers
Where: Jac Zagoory Designs website
How much (as of today's post): $55.00 (plus shipping)

Daily Extra / Follow-up: Sweetheart Candy Upcycled Mini Journal

I just glanced again at the ivylanedesigns Etsy shop -- she made the upcycled heart-shaped crayons in the post immediately preceding this one -- and found this adorable upcycled spiral-bound notebook.

Naturally, I couldn't resist posting about it! Not only is it perfect for Valentine's Day, ivylanedesigns combines shipping (as do most Etsy sellers), so you get multiple purchases at a lower per-item shipping cost.

I love discovering new levels of creativity every time I look at Etsy. And I love that there are sellers there so dedicated to recycling and eco-friendly creations.

What: Sweetheart Candy Upcycled Mini Journal
Where: ivylanedesigns (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $5.00 (plus shipping)

Daily Extra / Follow-up: Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener

Back on December 1, I posted about this little knife sharpener that I thought would make a good stocking stuffer, especially for those hard-to-buy-for men in your life. Well, the company then kindly offered to send me one to try out, and I did. I'm not kidding when I say that I used this sharpener for only a minute or two, and I immediately noticed a discernible difference in the sharpness of my knife. (Trust me, they were extremely dull before!) This sharpener is also small, lightweight, and easy to use, not to mention vastly affordable.

I immediately ordered two more, one for my father's stocking and one for my brother-in-law. Because they can't have mine!

Highly recommended.

What: Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener
Where: Smith's website
How much (as of today's post): $6.00