Hello dear readers. I’m hoping you can help Chad and I settle a debate. He thinks we should get a rice cooker — you know, a contraption you plug in, pour in some water and rice and let it cook to perfection. I think this seems like another small appliance we will have to store and don’t really need. Do they really do a better/easier job than cooking rice the old-fashion way, on the stove? One of Chad’s favorite dishes (left over from his bachelor days) is beans and rice; and no doubt we’ll be making a lot of rice once Isadora starts eating food. But really, do we need this? As appliances go, is it useful like a Foreman Grill, or more like a rarely-used fondue pot? Tell me your rice cooker thoughts! If you like them, which one do you recommend? The above one is from Williams-Sonoma. — Angela M.

We discovered fullbloomtea.com last year around Mother’s Day, and are proud to have them on board as a sponsor this week. To celebrate our love of teas (and mom’s love of teas) they’re offering Shelterrific readers a 10% discount. Just enter the code Shelter10 at checkout. (Btw, another great use for the teas — party favors. Allison R. passed them out her b-day party last summer and they were a big hit. Enjoy!)

Not ready to commit to wallpaper in a big way? Just think of all the fun projects you could do with a single roll of modern, graphic wallpaper: You could paper the back of a bookcase, affix the paper to drawer fronts, layer it under a piece of glass cut to fit a dresser-top or a coffee table, wrap it around plain lampshades, make a faux headboard, paper the inside of a paneled door, paper just the wall behind the vanity in a small powder room… Danish design company Ferm Living makes some of the most
beautiful wallpaper patterns around — whether you’re papering an entire room or experimenting with wallpaper in smaller doses. Each 21-inch by 32-foot roll normally retails for $85 — but it never hurts to check eBay to see if you can get a better deal because someone is selling off the extra roll they wound up not needing or chickened out on using. Right now, eBay seller danclarkatlanta has seven single rolls of seven different Ferm paper patterns (including Orchid, Berry Black, and Silhouette, among others) listed with Buy It Now prices of $55 per roll. (So grab ‘em before they’re gone.) What sort of projects would you use one of these for? –Leah H.

It’s true I have a thing for squirrels, and searching on that keyword brought me to Melabo’s Etsy site. These ceramics by Megan Bogonovich (you can also see more of her fanciful, wonderful work here) are so weird and hilarious, I might have to adopt one. Or a few. I never said I was normal. –Mary T.

Meg found some recycled rugs that got a positive reponse, and now Leah finds us even more.

I’m continually amazed by the sheer breadth of handmade goods available on Etsy — not just art and pottery and the like but, increasingly, major household items such as handcrafted furniture and even area rugs. Let’s take a look at some of the unique (and often eco-friendly) floor coverings currently on offer. Above is a 5-by-7-foot Grey Astrakhan Rug made from six vintage sheepskin coats. $2,500 from Ouno.

8-by-13-foot Felt Block Rug, available in a variety of custom-dyed colors, $1,875 from feeldesign.

So many more rugs after the jump! (more…)

What could be more perfect for serving all those fresh salads you’ll be tucking into this summer? (Though it’s not like you actually need such a good-looking incentive to eat healthy. Right?) This teak salad set was manufactured by Dansk and comes with a large serving bowl plus four individual bowls and two salad servers. Trust me, it’ll look smashing on your patio table on a balmy summer evening. Current bid: $15. –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

Old meets new at the hands of Etsy seller Mudpuppy (aka Denver, Colorado ceramist Michael McDowell), who takes vintage fine china and refires it with modern abstract designs. See all of the offerings (such as the Baby Head Planters, $25 each, which simultaneously fascinate me and freak me out) in Mudpuppy’s Etsy shop. –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Feeling the green spirit and looking for a way to consume with a conscience? Turns out The Conran Shop has all sorts of cool green finds. Need a baby shower gift? The super cute critters above are safe for newborns and made with organic cotton (available here for $39). And if you’re thinking about Mother’s Day, check back at The Conran Shop in the next couple of weeks — the site is soon to feature a $38 frying pan made with 50% recycled aluminum and a handle made from sustainable bamboo. –Meg D.

Read more of Meg’s tips for stylish, green living — and more on Earth Day – at her blog, Style Saves the World.

Apartment Therapy is thinking ahead with this post about colorful Deco Table Fans from The Company Store. But some commenters worried about the “cheesy” colors and wondered if metal fans rattle. May I suggest, instead, one of the heavy duty vintage-style fans from Vornado? I absolutely love the look of the Vintage Vornado Fan, a reproduction of their original 1950s design and quite versatile — you can aim it straight up at the ceiling. And I’ve had a Silver Swan fan for years — it’s beautiful, quiet, and has a nice substantial feel. Are they cheap? Not exactly — purchasing a fan from their site will cost you about $130, though you may find them for less at large retailers like Dillard’s or in big box stores. But in ten years, I haven’t had a single issue with my Swan, and four of those years included hot “summers” that ran from April through September in an un-airconditioned house. –Mary T.

P.S. If you’re into a more modern look, I think the Premium Series is pretty nifty, too.

Original collages and paintings by famed San Francisco artist Rex Ray command $1,000 or more from modern art galleries and hip retailers like Jonathan Adler.

Much as I adore his work, though, that’s way out of my price range. Little did I know that there are also authorized Rex Ray prints available from online art outposts such as Art.com, ArtSelect.com — and yes, even trusty old eBay.

The four colorful Ray lithographs above, for instance — Samba One, Samba Two, Acapulco Two, and Sao Paulo Two — measure 15 x 18 inches and come professionally framed.

Current bids: $20 each. (Hurry — the auctions end Wednesday afternoon.) –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.