When I was growing up, one of the high points of the very rare snow days we had in our warm climate was the warm brownies Mom would make to greet us tromping in cold and soaked through three pair of pants and knit mittens.   We would skin out of our wet clothes, put on warm, dry ones and then go sit in front of the fireplace for brownies and cocoa with marshmallows. 

There were five of us and we all loved the edges of the brownies best, so warm and chewy with the carmelized sugar.  The problem was, if our friends came over, too, we knew our mother would skin us alive if we didn’t offer the "best" pieces to our friends.   o, we quietly ate the center pieces of the brownies when we had guests and said nothing, not wanting to break over good manners in front of our indulgent but carefully polite Mama.

Recently, I saw the most amazing device - a brownie pan that was all edges!  Now, I’m as strict with my children’s manners as my Mama was with mine, but I remember clearly watching friends enjoy the chewy edge pieces of the brownies and wishing that I could have one, too.  So I got the pan right away and saved it for the next time Nana and a couple of my sisters and their kids came to visit. 

I was the hero of the afternoon as everyone got to have an edge piece when they helped themselves to the brownies (using Nana’s recipe, of course).    I bought pans like it for my sisters-in-law and my sisters, so we all giggle whenever the family gets together and we serve brownies, but we do sometimes wonder if the lost opportunity for a teachable moment in how to treat a guest wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Posted by Noel.

If you’ve ever had to make that discreet walk to the bathroom at work where you don’t want to sound the alarm to everyone around you that your 'little visitor' has arrived by trying to hide those tell-tale little pink wrappers in your hand, then you will really appreciate these fun, attractive, and useful tampon cases. Each case is large enough to hold three tampons inside in a stylish and unique way so you can keep them in your purse, your jacket, your pocket, or just carry them out in the open with no one the wiser to what’s inside.

The brushed steel cases come in a wide variety of sexy, retro styles that will make you wish your Aunt Flo would visit more often.  You can choose from sexy secret agent, pirate girl, diva detective, bathing beauty, smiling cowgirl, or a variety of other interesting styles.  You can even get cases that look like antique cigar cases with cool retro style advertising on the outside.  In fact, you don’t just have to use them for tampons; you can actually use them for cigars, cigarettes, small change, travel, or other small items you want to keep organized in a stylish fashion.

Posted by Chysta.

If there's one thing you can say about beer drinkers, it's that they are loyal to their drink of choice.  My dad has a certain type of beer that he's been drinking for decades, and he would never think of switching.

For him and all of those other beer lovers who like to keep their favorite drink close to hand, the beer belt is a lifesaver.  Your favorite beer lover can keep up to six cans or bottles of that precious liquid right around their waist.  No hands are required as the vessels are clamped securely into special holders. 

While you could argue that the beer will end up around their waist eventually anyway, the beer belt is a fun gag gift.  Your next barbecue could be a whole lot more interesting when the master griller is packing a six-pack of brew.

Posted by Delana.