Did watching the latest Harry Potter movie leave you with wand lust? If so, you’ll love the Kymera Magic Wand, that debuts in October. It won’t turn your frozen dinner into a gourmet meal, but it is probably the coolest TV remote ever! This universal remote comes with a built-in “accelerometer” which allows it to recognize “magical gestures” to change the channel or control the volume. If this sounds like a trick too good to pass up, check out The Wand Company and pre-order your Kymera here. –Erica P.

Certain tastes always seem to jar certain memories for me (pun intended). Give me a bowl of brisket chili and I’m wearing wool socks in December. A lick of a Fudgsicle, and I’m a sunburned seven-year-old playing with my Barbies. And nothing reminds me of the Fourth of July more than this salsa recipe. One bite and I’m back on the East coast, smelling like campfire smoke and watching the fireworks alongside the Connecticut River. Now that the summer’s slipping away, I’m making this incredibly delicious salsa all the time to savor the (waning) sunshine! –Katie D. (more…)

As soon as I saw Sungho Lee’s LED twist on the clothespin at Designboom, I started dreaming about how I could put it to use. Oh, there would be practical applications, to be sure — perhaps clipping it to a bag to make it easier to search for my keys, or clipping it on a curtain to keep a flashlight handy. But I would purchase this purely for the beauty: Imagine a row of these lights attached to a clothesline during a garden party, or the ease of clipping them into an overhanging tree for charming outdoor dining. I must have these. –Mary T.

Pie bakers, meet your new best friend. The Cherry Chomper pits cherries for you while being dishwasher safe and totally adorable! Sold on Chef Tools for $13, the Cherry Chomper is perfect for all your cherry-related recipe needs (including a particularly delicious cherry cupcake recipe). –Katie D.

Coasters are one of those things that we love to buy, but don’t really need. Unless you’re a total slob, a set or two should last a while. But this new collection of pressed paper coasters at Fishs Eddy has us coming up with lots of excuses for why should stock up. At just about $4 for a set of ten, we are thinking they’d be inventive wedding favors, cheeky stocking stuffers, and the perfect gift for any colleague. Our favorites are the Alice collection which are cute enough to plan an entire party around. Break out the rabbit ears!

A table with secret drawers sounds like something out of a mystery novel, but the Crank Trick #2 is for real. This white birch and beech wood table has four drawers that are exposed by turning the top board counterclockwise. The table was designed by Nobuhiro Teshima and is featured over at the cool design site Link. –Erica P.

We got an email the other day from the creative mind (and fingers) behind the Daisy Janie blog pointing out this easy tutorial for a paper wine gift bag. For those of you that are handy with a grommet press and have access to some colorful prints and ribbons, this how-to could be the answer to your upcoming holiday needs. It’ll turn a simple bottle of Yellow Tail into something to treasure.

Click here for the full tutorial.

I’m always trying to simplify and de-clutter. I’ve cleaned out my closets and I’ve pared down my apartment. Now it’s time to turn my janitor-like key ring into a sleek accessory. I think a good start is the Split-Ring-Key by Scott Amron. The blank key can be cut to match one of your existing keys and the attached ring means this little number does double duty! Check it out and pick one up at AmronExperimental. — Erica P.

Make your own version of Jurassic Park (one that won’t go terribly
wrong) with these flexible plastic dinosaur lamps from Think Geek . Triceratops, Diplodocus, and T.rex are available for tagging and studying at $20 apiece. DIY construction time clocks in at 30 to 40 minutes — each lamp comes with illustrated directions. These little Mesozoic monsters make perfect presents for your cool nephew or (in my case) the immature boyfriend who uses a Dino-Riders image as his desktop wallpaper. –Katie D.

Mary isn’t the only one who didn’t make it through all her yard work plans this summer. Tikolish shares “I’m glad I’m not the only one to admit we’re not done with our yard project either.” Check out the post that inspired this confession.

You’d love a guilt-free fry experience. Tiffany says, “I’m intrigued! When I was younger and living in the south, lots of folks had fry-daddys, and boy did those make good tater tots! But a healthy alternative?! Sign me up!” Read our review of the T-fal Actifry.

Looks like the HomeGoods StyleScope quiz was spot on for many of you. According to Faith “I’m a DRAMATIC MODERN. Totally accurate. This especially – ‘You value order. You feel happiest if your home is well organized. You understand that when your house is in order, your mind feels clearer. Rather than a lot of meaningless objects or overly-designed items, you are happier with a few well-placed things. Your home is your respite from a busy life.’ My mantra is that everything in my house is functional or beautiful and preferably both.” Take the quiz for yourself right here.

We aren’t the only ones digging the Eria Sun Shade. Apparently Nicolette feels the same way: “The umbrella is a stroke of genius. It blocks rain, and at the same time, let light goes through. Of course, the design also makes it unique.” Take a peek at the “genius” design.

We’ve got some crafty readers here at Shelterrific. Rachel agrees that the Eggy Pig is super cute. “Aww that is so cute! What a fun pattern. I’ll have to check out Creature Crochet next time I’m in the shop…” Click on through for the how-to instructions!