September 2009 Archives

This beautiful piece - along with the iPhone itself - is going on my "I will buy all of these things when I have money to burn" list. It is yet another hand made gem I found on Etsy.

The wood is cedar, so you know it smells awesome. The design is simple, pretty - "nature chic", if you will. It is compatible with the iPhone 3g and all iPod devices. Except for the Shuffle. I have a Shuffle and nothing cool is compatible with the Shuffle.

It will set you back $78. Pricey, yes, but not completely unreasonable for a functional hand made piece.

Photofetti might be the neatest confetti ever. You can upload any photo and have it printed onto confetti. If you don't want a photo, you can also choose to have words printed. What makes them extra cool is that they are double sided and you can have a different photo on each side. This is great because then you don't have to worry about which side lands face up as you sprinkle it around.

Sure, confetti is a mess to clean up, but it's fun! For more unique photo gifts, visit the Vat19.com store.

I think this is taking the Snuggie a little too far, don't you? I'll freely admit that, despite its laughable looks, the original Snuggie for humans is not a bad idea. It would be nice to be all cozy and warm while still being able to read a book or change the channel on my TV.

But dogs don't read, watch TV (well, most don't), sew, make coffee, dust, cheer on sports teams, drink coffee in the woods, or do any of the other crazy things going on in the video below. So why do they need a Snuggie? That poor dog up there looks entranced, like he was hypnotized into wearing the thing. As soon as he snaps out of it, I have a feeling he's going to try and rip that sucker off.

Anyway, for a good laugh, check out the new Snuggie commercial below. High-fives all around and a little sofa dancing at the end. These people have to be making fun of themselves ... right?

Poof drops are supposed to be proactive (put some drops in the toilet first) rather than reactive (spraying air freshener afterward). Apparently these drops form a thin film on the toilet water's surface which contains the odors. A Japanese mint fragrance is released and 98% of odors are eliminated. Maybe these drops are amazing and will become a staple in bathrooms around the world. Or maybe they are a $15 rip off.

Bathroom air fresheners and odor neutralizers aren't anything new, but Poof has a bottle shape and size that you normally don't associate with air freshener. If you're carrying this bottle someone might ask "Hey, can I borrow your contact lens solution?" and you'll have to be all "Oh, sorry, those aren't eye drops, those are poo drops." I just don't see people carrying this around in their pocket.

It may not look like much, but the Carson Micro Max Lighted Microscope is a fun little gadget. It's small enough to fit in your pocket, but it has the power to magnify things from 60-100x! Plus, it has a built-in light, so you can see your subjects much clearer.

This would be a really fun stocking stuffer for kids. They'd have a ball running all over the house looking at everyday objects like money, their toys, or even the dog (if the animal is willing to cooperate, that is). It'd also be fun outside, checking out flowers, trees, bugs, you name it! They'll be having so much fun, they won't even realize they're learning.

This week is National Cupcake Week. It's amazing the pointless little things you learn while browsing around the internet! The Hello, Cupcake cookbook is full of tons of really creative ideas for decorating cupcakes. You can learn how to make cupcakes look like animals, foods, flowers, and more.

After you spend all of that time decorating your cupcakes, you'll definitely want to protect them when you bring them in your lunch to show them off. So make sure you by some of these nifty (and cute because they look like cupcakes!) Cupcase Cupcake Holders.

I don't know why I love these so much. I mean, essentially, they are just rolled-up towels. But they're rolled-up towels that look like sweet little cakes! Isn't that enough to make them awesome?

Not only that, but the "cherry" on top is actually a magnet that you can use on your fridge. Finally, a bridal/wedding shower favor that isn't totally useless (like, for example, a plastic swan or baby basket filled with buttermints).

Another cute favor idea would be our Cupcase Cupcake Holders. You could bake a cupcake for each of your guests, place it in the Cupcase, and then tie a ribbon around it. Sweet!

By just looking at the photo above, you're probably wondering what the heck that is. You might be thinking it is something made out of wood. Wrong! It's a really awesome floor mat made out of vintage leather belts. Very cool and very unique. And at $688.00 it's also very expensive.

Each one is made-to-order and is one-of-a-kind. Assuming desk chairs could roll easily on it, this would be really neat for an office. Heck, it'd be neat anywhere you use it!

Are we serious, folks? Do we really need to purchase a $55.00 machine that dispenses paper towels for us? We've covered a few products for the lazy folk, and I think this one ranks pretty high. Grabbing a paper towel is not difficult; this is not an action that needs electronic assistance.

Also, most of us use too many paper towels anyway. I'd think people would get paper-towel-happy with this machine, especially kids. "Look, Mom! I just wave my hand and here comes a towel! Look, here comes another one. And another! La la la..."

Save yourself $55.00 and buy yourself something truly useful (and green!), like the Ultimate Cloth from Vat19. You'll spend 1/5 the money and end up with two reusable cleaning cloths that work amazingly well (with just water!).

I'm labeling the Zombie Mints as trash because they sound gross. What does "brain flavored" even taste like? It can't be good. Mints are supposed to make your breath smell good and fresh, not like whatever a brain smells like. Which, again, can't be good. However, if given the chance, I would try one of these.

Too gross for you? If you're looking for a candy gift that is unique, definitely tastes delicious, and is brain-free, check out Vat19's Giant Gummy Bear on a Stick and the World's Largest Gummy Bear.

This Labor Day weekend, we at Vat19.com wanted to celebrate all of the wonderful products that are produced here in the USA. So many of the things we purchase are made outside our country - the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the toys our children play with - that it's almost a welcome relief when you can get your hands on something made right here where we live. Vat19.com is proud to carry many products that are made in the USA - many of them by hand. Check 'em out!

Notebook & Pencil Socks
Let's face it, fun socks are, well, fun. These awesome socks that look like a pencil and notebook paper make the reality of going back to school not so harsh.

Big Belly Bank
The creator of this whimsical wooden bank started out by making them for his children. Good thing he continues to make them for us to enjoy.

Kitchen Goodies
Our Microwave Popcorn Popper is made in Vermont, and it pops a seriously delicious batch of popcorn. You can follow that up with some chewy brownies made in the Edge Brownie Pan, and maybe a frozen treat custom-made in the Slush Mug. Hey, sometimes you need a good calorie-fest.

Continue reading for more awesome American-made products.

I love baseball. I love shortbread cookies. So I imagine I would love Cooperstown Cookie Company's baseball-shaped shortbread cookies. Of course, I would only enjoy eating them if they came in a St. Louis Cardinals themed box or tin! For those of you who aren't aware, Vat19 is headquartered in St. Louis. And the Cardinals are HOT this year!

These would be a unique gift to send to a baseball fan. You can choose which MLB team you want on the packaging. Once the Cardinals officially make it into the post-season, I'm thinking of sending tins with the Cardinals on it to some Cubs fans I know just to rub it in. Hey, its just a friendly rivalry!

Yes, we all know that picking up your dog's poo is not the most pleasant task in the world. I mean, it's poo. No one wants to pick that stuff up.

HOWEVER, if you have any compassion whatsoever for your dog, you will not make him wear the PooTrap. I mean, just look at the thing! Do I really need to explain why this is ridiculous? I actually think this might be worse torture than dressing your dog in sweaters and shoes. How embarrassing for your poor dog (and you too, honestly). And it cannot possibly be comfortable.

Your dog is your best friend. It's always there for you, through thick and thin, giving you completely unconditional love. The least you can do is spare him the PooTrap and pick up his poo yourself.