This time of year we always get a little sick of all the silly Valentine’s Day merch out there. Teddy bears hugging hearts, cupid-dotted boxer shorts, you know the stuff. That’s why this tea towel by Showpony on Julianna Grove Presents tickles our fancy. Not only is it NOT pink and red, it also provides our better halves with a gentle ribbing on their not-so-favorite chore. The letters of “do the dishes” are spelled out by a stack of dirty plates. Printed on fair-trade organic cotton, about $22 (give or take dollar to pound exchange). Click here to see more.

There’s a new and somewhat contested trend among the environmentally conscious: unplugging the refrigerator for good to reduce energy consumption. Well, I have some experience with this one: I once lived without a refrigerator for an entire year. My reasons weren’t quite so lofty — I had an illegal cat, and when my fridge went on the fritz, rather than figure out how to have the landlord fix it without discovering my kitty, I simply put it off. And put it off. For an entire year! And now I come to find that these new refrigerator shunners are using the same methods I used as a procrastinating twentysomething — storing soda on the windowsill when it’s cold out, keeping a cooler of ice handy, and not buying more than they can consume in an evening. (I probably ate out a lot, too.) So what do you think — are they onto something? Could you or would you unplug your fridge? –Mary T.

Image via the New York Times.

I’m loving these beautiful wood and glass canisters from Merchant No. 4. I’ve always wanted a modern kitchen with open shelving and lines of simple glass bottles organizing my dry goods. Unfortunately, the kitchen in my rental couldn’t be farther from that fantasy. One day I’ll get my dream kitchen, and I’ll surely stock it with a set of these jars. –Erica P.

Now this is mass customization in action. Visit ponoko.com, and you have your choice of what to do there: turn your idea for a product into reality, shop the products that other Ponoko users have already created (like the Nocturne Chandelier above) or customize an existing product template at the Ponoko site. Let’s say you have an idea for a lampshade you want to make from wood. Submit the specs to Ponoko to receive a quote on producing it for you — they create laser-cut products using plastic, metal, and wood. If you like the price, they create the final product for you. It works much the same way when you customize a product for sale at the site, like this lamp I spotted recently at powazek.com. And even if Ponoko produces it for you, you have the copyright to your design. –Mary T.

We use Whole Foods‘ 365 olive oil for everyday cooking. It’s tasty, affordable and healthy. My only issue? The oil spills down the side of the bottle with each pour. We try to clean it after every use, but with our busy schedules and an infant, we sometimes forget. This results in a ring of oil on our pantry shelf, which I’ve heard can attract certain types of ants—gross!

I’ve searched for a bottle-pourer to replace the one it comes with, but I haven’t been able to find one that fits. (I know, I’ve spent way too much time thinking about this.) I was looking at a back issue of Cooks Illustrated recently and came across a simple solution for this exact issue: you fold a paper towel or cloth around the top half of the bottle and secure it with a rubberband. Now we don’t have to worry about getting oil everywhere—and I know I’m not the only one who obsesses about things like this. — Michelle V.K.

Sure, getting chocolate shavings from a chocolate pencil may be a bit of a gimmick, but I love the idea just the same. In collaboration with patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu, Nendo developed a series of pencil-shaped chocolates in a variety of cocoa blends. Using the special “pencil sharpener” allows you to sprinkle perfect chocolate shavings over the top of all of your desserts. Delicious! –Erica P.

1. Mattress quality is worth paying for — though we have our limits. Rebecca: “I have an organic natural latex mattress (that we paid much less than $6000 for — there are less expensive options) and it is heaven. Incredibly comfortable and completely free of nasty chemical fire retardants found in conventional mattresses. We bought it while I was pregnant after reading that studies show that fire retardant chemicals from mattresses show up in breast milk. Plus a latex mattress should last much longer than a conventional mattress, making up for some of the price difference. And did I mention how ridiculously comfortable the mattress is? I love my bed… just wish I could get more sleep in it now that I have a baby. ” See more on the mattress debate on our post Would You Pay $6000 For an Organic Mattress?.

2. There are several ways to get a whiteboard clean. Laila says to try: “Rubbing alcohol. Works like a charm and no residue.” See more whiteboard cleaning ideas here.

3. It seems that none of our favorite magazines are safe in these tough times. Apparently ReadyMade, one of favorites, faces an uncertain future: Leah wrote: “A few weeks ago, word came down that the magazine — minus its founders and its entire editorial staff — was being moved to Meredith HQ in Des Moines, Iowa. The staff was literally locked out shortly after that — they couldn’t even access their email. Suffice it to say, I think you’ll be seeing a *very* different ReadyMade from here on out. Sad.” See more about the magazine here.

4. There is hope for cat owners who wish to go green. Sherry writes about some green cat litter: “I really love this litter. I have five cats and they were a little skeptical at first. The made the switch pretty easily by me changing one box at a time. I have used it for about 5 months and it works great! It clumps very well and the odor control is very good. It is nice to work with lighter litter and it is so much better for the environment. Smells very good too! I highly recommend it.” Click here to read about a green clumping cat litter.

5. Iron-on hem tape is a blessing for us crafty types who can’t sew. As Daffodil writes: “I don’t own a sewing machine, but I have made three sets of curtains using only fabric and iron-on hem tape. I LOVE that stuff. I want to make some roman shades next, but I imagine that project is too complex for hem tape alone. But I’m hoping to find a way!” Click here to see Mary’s D.I.Y. curtain for some inspiration.

Enter for a chance to win $250 worth of professional decor advice!

Valentine’s Day is just a week away, and with all these cold, long winter nights, it’s a good time to add a little heat to your “boudoir.” Designers Call, an online decor service based in Los Angeles, will give one lucky Shelterrific reader a one-hour consultation that includes a quick redesign, space planning, and professional advice — valued at $250. If you take a look at the before and afters on their site, you’ll agree that they know how to turn a drab room into an inspiring one. You can see some of founder Lara Fishman’s handiwork above — she obviously knows how to set the mood!

Here’s what you need to do to enter: Send us a jpg of your dull bedroom and explain why the room needs to be spiced up. Jpgs need to be at least 500 pixels wide. You may only enter once, and the winner will be chosen by the Shelterrific team with input from Lara at Designers Call.

So grab those cameras and snap a photo of that not-so-hot bedroom now! (And though this isn’t required, it would be super nice if the winner showed us the “after” effects, too!) Send your entries to letters (at) shelterrific dot com. Be sure to include your city and state info. Contest closes Sunday, February 15th at 5 pm EST.

Ooo, an H&M home line! Swissmiss has the details.

World traveler wannabe? Here are eight tips for spanning the globe from Budget Travel.

Prefer to stick to the States? the LA Times has tips on driving California’s coast in ten days.

This never fails to amuse us: how to make a cake in a mug, at WikiHow.

See an unexpected village of modern eco-houses in Omaha, via OZOlife.

Oh, my: Toord Boontje Crystal Ice Furniture is sparkling at Casa Sugar.

See absolutely gorgeous wood utensils at 2Modern Design Talk.

Daily Danny has more eco finds from the gift fair.

This is so cool: a Coraline Box (Want!) at Happy Mundane, in anticipation of the new movie based on Neil Gaiman’s fantastically creepy book.

Leave your lovely links in comments!

I originally spotted this incredible video over on Flavorwire and I just had to share it with you all. Take a two-minute break and view some one-of-a-kind sculptures by artist Ryo Sehata. Each piece is created from cellotape alone, and the details are just incredible. Seeing an artist create beauty out of such an unexpected medium always makes me appreciate the art world even more. Read an interview with the artist here. –Erica P.