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Obsessed with this Gorgeous Tea Pitcher… Obsessed, I Tell You

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I drink a lot of tea – okay, that’s an understatement. Let’s try again. I am in the process of gleefully and systematically drinking tea each of my waking hours.

That’s better.

I have iced tea (usually either black raspberry tea or green raspberry tea) with my coffee in the morning, then I keep a large (we’re talking quite large) beautiful silver, shiny tumbler with a straw filled for the remainder of the day.

At several points during the day (around 4:00 when I’m making supper and 6:00 when I’m winding down) I also have a nice big mug of hot tea. The iced tea never leaves my side mind you, the hot simply joins us where we happen to be.

While I have endless mugs for my hot tea, my tumbler (aka my shadow), and tall glasses for mealtime, my iced tea pitcher leaves much to be desired. Okay, between me and you, it’s an old glass pitcher from a coffee maker I had, like, 6 years ago! For someone as clumsy as me to keep anything made of glass that long without breaking it is something of an accomplishment, but it’s simply time to upgrade the iced tea game.

I’m an embarrassment to myself and my daughter, the Crazy Tea Chick.

See the beauty pictured at the right? IT’s the HIWARE Glass Pitcher (Amazon Link) and I have invited it to join the family. I mean, seriously, look at her. She’s Rita Hayworth level stunning!

Features of This Gorgeous, Ingenious Pitcher:

  • This pitcher is made from borosilicate glass and withstands temperature 0 to 300 ℉, so you can pour boiling water into this pitcher safely.
  • The absence of lead guarantees 100-percent recyclable products; superior resistant to use, the pitcher is thicker than other brands in the market and has been double-annealed to give it extra durability
  • The lid with filter is made from 18/8 stainless steel, it is perfect for keeping the ice cubes, sliced fruit, tea bags inside the beverage. Specially designed with non-dripping spout and the ergonomically designed handle make it easy to hold and pour. Easy to clean
  • More natural and healthy (and better looking!) than using a plastic one. This pitcher is widely used for water, iced tea, hot tea, fruit infused water, homemade beverages, cold brew coffee, etc. It’s even suitable to leave in your fridge. 

See HIWARE Glass Pitcher (Amazon Link)

Kicking off the Christmas Gift Guide with a Sloth in a Coffee Cup (Because Why Wouldn’t I??)

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I have good news and bad news for you… the window of opportunity for Christmas shopping is now officially wide open! You can shop for Christmas gifts now without being looked at like you have three heads. That’s the good news.

The bad news is this window begins closing a little bit each day, until it relentlessly slams shut before you know it!

That’s why I’m beginning the 2019 Gift Guide for Cooks and Foodies today. I may not have the graphic for the sidebar yet (soon, soon) but I have a fun gift to kick things off with – the Feeling Slothee, Need a Coffee mug you see here.

Crazy cute!

For whatever reasons, gifts like this are my favorite to give AND receive – the deliciously unique and fun variety. The kind that makes the recipient smile ear to ear as they show it off to everyone in the room.

  • Designed exclusively by Geek Details and shipped exclusively from Geek Details.
  • The imprinted design is beautifully displayed on both sides of the mug and looks as pictured. It stops approximately 1 inch from both sides of the C-handle.
  • The premium full color sublimation imprint creates vibrant, long lasting, lead-free designs.
  • Microwave and dishwasher safe for your convenience.
  • Eleven ounce white ceramic coffee mug also holds a great cup of tea and includes a large, easy to grip C-handle.

I love everything about this adorable coffee mug, especially the fact that it is an exclusive design (there’s that uniqueness that floats my boat). I also love the fact that the design is on both sides.

See Feeling Slothee, Need a Coffee for a closer look. SO DARN CUTE!


How the Eat. Feed. Love. Taste Club Can Make You a Better Cook

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Eat Feed Love Taste Club: May's Box, Tea and Flowers
 

Eat. Feed. Love. May’s Taste Club Box
As I said in my first Eat. Feed. Love Taste Club Box Review, this is a subscription box program that every foodie will want to experience. They’re fun, delicious, and.. most importantly… allow you to lend a “helping hand” to communities around us who very much need one.  Money generated through the sell of these wonderful taste club boxes and the Eat. Feed. Love. Online Store trinkle out every which way – like a river of mercy leading straight to the individuals who desperately need someone to care.

Something else about this very special monthly subscription box hit me this morning when I was looking through my gorgeous collection of Taste Club Box recipe cards. I was sorting through them looking for what is now one of my absolute favorite aioli recipes: Tangy Horseradish Mustard Aioli. I happened to think – this particular gourmet food subscription box can actually make good cooks great and great cooks even better.

How? In a word – VARIETY. All truly outstanding cooks cook meals that you you won’t find down the street or across town. They have “tricks up their sleeve” also known as special, unique, and game-changing ingredients.  I’ve always been a huge believer in experimenting with different ingredients, herbs, seasonings, types of salt, various peppercorns, etc. There is absolutely NO better way to do this than with the Eat. Feed. Love. Taste Club.

  1. Eat. Feed. Love. only sends out the best ingredients and foods. If they have affiliated themselves with a company, you can rest assured it is above reproach.
  2. What’s the point of having a brand new ingredient or food to experiment with if you don’t have a little direction? Each month’s box includes recipe cards (have I mentioned that they are gorgeous???) with easy to fix, original, and freaking delicious recipes using your new ingredients.
  3. When you find an ingredient – more like ingredients – you love and want to use again and again, simply go to the Eat. Feed. Love. Store and purchase it – with your money, again, finding its way into people’s lives who need it.

Eat Feed Love Taste Club: May's Box, Tea and Flowers
A LOT of the recipes featured on the cards (over the past three months) have already become personal favorite recipes:

  • Tangy Horseradish Mustard Aioli
  • Grilled Artichoke with Garlic Butter
  • Deviled Eggs with Bacon
  • Lavender Lemonade
  • Spring Pasta Salad (with gluten free pasta)
  • Fried Egg with Bacon Mayo
  • Irish Slaw
  • Mustard Gravy

You can find a lot of highly creative recipes on their website – each recipe will tell you the special ingredient(s) you’ll need.

Now, on to the review of the newest Taste Club Box – a total beauty.

Eat Feed Love Taste Club: May's Box, Tea and Flowers
Eat. Feed. Love. May’s Taste Club Box

May’s Eat. Feed. Love. Taste Club Box Review: Tea and Flowers

As you may, or may not know, in addition to being a food blogger here on Get Cooking, I am also the Crazy Tea Chick.  As you’d expect from someone who calls themselves a crazy tea chick and has their own tea blog, I am obsessed with tea. It’s one of my greatest passions. As it so happens, so are flowers and gardening. So, when I saw that this month’s box was all about “Tea and Flowers,” I pranced around the kitchen a few times.

Anything to amuse the cat.

Spoonable Flowery Lavender Caramel
May’s Taste Club Box Included the Following:

  • Nielsen Massey Rose Water – Nielsen Massey is my “go to” brand for all extracts, so when I saw their name on the label, I knew this was going to be something out of this world. The bottle, itself, is a beauty. So much so that I leave it on the counter rather than hidden away in the spice cabinet. Rose water is great in tea and lemonade and adds personality to rice pudding and ice cream desserts.
  • Flowery Lavender Caramel – Yum! This is another beauty that smells like Heaven. Unfortunately, since it isn’t certified Gluten Free, I can’t (personally) taste it, but my family members tell me it’s delicious on ice cream and even as a dip for sugar cookies.
  • Vanilla Rose Ceylon Tea – I can, and have, been enjoying this tea for all it’s worth! You can read my Vanilla Rose Ceylon Tea Review on my tea blog, Crazy Tea Chick. This is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful tea. Beautiful.
  • Meyer Lemon Cookies – These beautiful, fragrant little lovelies are another item I couldn’t personally test but, as luck would have it, I have plenty of willing family members. Words I kept hearing again and again were: Lemony!, Delicious, and I wish they had these at the store.
  • Christina Maser Nectarine and Rosemary Jam – When I took my first taste of this jam (gluten free, yay!), my first thought was, “This tastes 100 times better than I expected.” By the time I took my third taste (try not to judge me please), I decided that it tasted 1,000 times better than expected OR than it had a right to taste. This is one outrageously delicious jam and I now want to try every single thing made by Christina Maser.
  • Lavender Infused Simple Syrup – Holy cats, this is outrageously wonderful! First of all, I am obsessed with the scent of lavender. Ironically, I just bought three lavender candles this morning… obsessed. This syrup smells even better than my beloved candles and is delicious. It’s beautiful in tea or water. I have been adding a few drops in bottled water as extra incentive to drink more water. It’s doing the trick! One of the recipe cards in this box was “Lavender Lemonade” which provides the perfect opportunity to use the lavender syrup.
  • Recipe Cards – As is the case with each month’s taste club box, there were beautiful cards featuring great recipes to use each of the fun new ingredients with.

Get 20% Off Items in the Box by Using the Coupon Code: MAYPANTRY

Whether you’re treating yourself or buying a gift that’ll keep giving all year long, check out the Eat. Feed. Love. Taste Club Box – this is something you will quickly become infatuated with. It’ll be something you look forward to with great enthusiasm each month.

Heck, you may even prance a time or two.

Eat Feed Love Taste Club: May's Box, Tea and FlowersLearn more about the exciting Eat. Feed. Love. Taste Club Box!
Also See:

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl… Wouldn’t Take Anything for Mine

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Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

My family knows me. They know the good, the bad, and the… well, never you mind about the rest.  Knowing me like they do, they know that, whether it’s birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, or Christmas, buying me anything with Rachael Ray’s name on it is a very safe bet.

I’ve collected Rachael Ray cookbooks, dishes, and kitchen tools for as long as I can remember. The bright, happy, vivid colors combined with unsurpassed durability and functionality rock my culinary world.

I even buy Rachael Ray products for my daughters – in their favorite colors. Not only do I know they’ll use (and love) them daily… I know they’ll think about me each time they do.

Win, WIN!

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Fun and Functional

This beautiful purple Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl was actually given to me as a gift a few years ago.  I recently came across the pictures in my iPhone and realized I’d never written a review on this kitchen favorite.

When the garbage bowls first came out, in spite of being a Rachael Ray Kitchen Tool junkie, I never bought one for myself because (to be honest) I wasn’t sure I’d even use it. I thought, “Yes, it’s beautiful and yes, it’s Rachael Ray… but I just toss my trash in a Kroger bag as I cook.”

Fast Forward to today… I have used this bowl every single day since receiving it two years ago. Every. Single. Day. It’s just unspeakably convenient to throw peels, cans, rubber bands, foil, etc into as I’m cooking.  Grabbing the bowl before I start baking or cooking is as automatic as putting on a seat belt when I get in a car.

Not only is the bowl, somehow, just fun to use, it also looks a heckuva lot better sitting on the counter than a grocery bag. What’s more, there’s  no “seeping” through or “spilling out” like you get with a grocery bag.

Sloppy.

The great looking Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl is available on Amazon in the following colors: purple, red, orange, dark green, green, and blue.

Click through for more information about what will become your next favorite kitchen tool. When you click through, you can even see a short little video of Rachael Ray explaining where the idea of the Garbage Bowl came from.

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

King of Pop Patriotic Gourmet Popcorn: Cherry, Blueberry, and Kettle Corn

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King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn

King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn

As I’ve said several times on Get Cooking, I’m a huge fan of Gourmet Gift Baskets.com. HUGE. The idea of giving delicious gifts (always the right fit, size, and color) just really floats my boat.

The fact that everything Gourmet Gift Baskets is absolute perfection makes that same boat skip across the water!

What you see pictured here is from one of Gourmet Gift Baskets companies, King of Pop. This is the beautiful and delicious King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn: Cherry Blueberry, and Kettle Corn. You get the cherry and blueberry flavors along with the GREAT flavor of the kettle corn.

{Review Continued Below….}

King of Pop Gourmet Red White and Blue Popcorn

King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn

These tins are available on both Gourmet Gift Baskets and King of Pop – same price, same fast delivery, same ease of purchase. The choice is yours.

I read on one of the websites where someone left a comment saying they wished the tins were more “patriotic,” maybe with a flag or something.  I’d have to politely disagree a little. I love for tins to be reusable as much as possible and think that a solid color or a handsome design (like the one here) is right on the money.

In fact, this Patriotic Blend isn’t just perfect for the Fourth of July, President’s Day, Patriot’s Day, or Flag Day – it’s IDEAL for those of you who are Patriots fans or would make a perfect gift for the Patriots fan in your life.

Same would hold true for Texas Rangers fans and other sports teams with the colors red, white, and blue.

If the tin were decorated solely for the Fourth of July (or President’s Day, Patriot’s Day…), it’d be a little awkward to give as a gift on any other day.

{Review Continued Below….}

King of Pop Gourmet Patriotic Popcorn
King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn
See either Gourmet Gift Baskets or King of Pop for ordering information. I’m honestly not sure how many days it’d take to get to you, but you may very well be able to order it now and have it in time for the Fourth of July.

How cool would that be?

Either way, this popcorn blend is absolutely delicious as well – and gorgeous to boot.

King of Pop Patriotic Popcorn

Cake Boss Mixing Bowls: SO Pretty and SO Useful

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Cake Boss Mixing Bowls

I have a new obsession in the kitchen: Cake Boss Mixing Bowls. One of the gifts from my oldest daughter (Emily) for Mother’s Day was a gift bag filled with Cake Boss Bowls: The Cake Boss 2-Piece Melamine Mixing Bowl Set (Amazon link, the pink and blue bowls) and Cake Boss Melamine Mixing Bowl , Small (Amazon link, the yellow beauty).

She’d seen that I’d written about them before here on the food blog and knew I’d love to actually have a set of my own.

I LOVE when my family reads (and catches!) my not-so-subtle hints!

These bowls are even more adorable in person. They’re fun, colorful, high-quality, and uber functional. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve used mine since Mother’s Day. I use them for waffles, cakes, cupcakes, whipped cream, beating eggs, cakes, cookies, and on and on.

I also use them for their looks – as in setting them out prominently to show off and look pretty!

  • Each mixing bowl is crafted from durable yet lightweight melamine and designed with a rubberized base for stability (no chasing the bowl across the counter top); top-rack dishwasher safe.  They are exceptionally unique and unbelievably good looking. I just love the retro look of these bowls.
  • They have cool little rims as handles on one side pour spouts on the other for pouring.
  • I also love that they’re “nestable” – fitting beautifully one within the other, with room to spare – so they don’t rub up against one another

These beautiful bowls are absolute perfection. Click through any of the links below for more information.

Cake Boss Mixing Bowls

See more Cake Boss Bowls on Amazon (Amazon link)!

Whimsical Pig Planter

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Pig Planter

From the comments and e-mails, I know that a lot of you love pigs as much as I do. When I saw this adorable Metal Pig Planter , I thought of y’all right away.

Okay, that’s not the truth. The first thing I thought was, “Add to Cart” but the next thing I thought of was y’all. You were right behind the cart.

Amazon refers to the cutie above as a “Garden Decoration” but they don’t know me very well. There’s no way I’d put her outside and subject her to birds, wind, snow, squirrels, or mischievous cats. No way. She’ll go right in the kitchen with my other pig collectibles. I’m pretty sure I’ll grow herbs in her – chives, dill, thyme, basil… one or two of my favorites.

Then again she’d be a great spot to corral all the bags of Bob’s Red Mill mixes I always have on hand. Hmmmm, I guess I’ll decide when she shows up.

Also on the edge of the shopping cart….


Pigs Welcome Figure

Lighted Solar Trio of Ceramic Pigs

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil Cast Iron Pigs Door Stop

Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders: 24/7 Seasoning and Pink Himalayan Salt

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 Rachael Ray Fancy Boys Grinders

Rachael Ray Grinders (Love them!)

So there I was shopping in my local Kroger recently, minding my own business.  I was in the spice aisle, grabbing a box of baking soda (something I’m almost always low on) when a couple of colorful orange topped grinders on the top shelf caught my eye.

Right away, without even seeing the picture or name on the front, I knew they were Rachael Ray. As you may know, if you read the food blog regularly, I’m a HUGE fan of all things Rachael Ray – so it only makes sense that my radar would go off.

Naturally they both went immediately into the cart.

One of my new found treasures is the Rachael Ray’s 24/7 Seasoning Grinder, (Amazon link) on the left in the picture above. The other is the especially lovely Rachael Ray Pink Himalayan Salt Grinder (Amazon link).  I have used them religiously since first bringing them home and absolutely swear by them.  They add so much flavor and personality to everything and, at the risk of sounding insanely girly, they look sooooooo pretty sitting on the counter.

I’ve seen these two particular grinders in several stores around town, and I just assumed that’s all there were.

Boy was I wrong.

A quick search on Amazon turned up SCADS of these beautiful Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders (Amazon link) and yes, as a matter of fact, I must have each and every one. Check them out in the slideshow below – click through any that catch your eye.

If the slideshow doesn’t show up for you, simply click the following link: Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders. (Amazon link)

You are absolutely going to love these guys!

West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Maker Review

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West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Maker

My Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper Review: The pictures speak for themselves!

I’ve always loved popcorn – not only is it delicious, let’s face it, popcorn’s crazy fun to eat.  However, popping it, with all the pan shaking and grease splattering, isn’t even remotely fun.  I don’t know about you, but if I do have any muscles in my body, they certainly aren’t in my arms.  Popeye might enjoy the pan shaking, but I can do without it.

The last time I made popcorn the old fashioned way, it took more time than I wanted to spend and made a bigger mess than I wanted to clean.  I decided, then and there, that my next trip to Target would include buying a popcorn maker.  Since I never tease myself about anything as serious as shopping at Target, I did joyfully add to my kitchen’s small appliances collection.  I chose the West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper and we’ve been getting along famously.

West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn

Whrrrr… it spins one way, then the other way for even distribution and popping.

The West Bend Stir Crazy Electric Popcorn Popper is Very, Very, Very Easy to Use

As I said, I don’t want to spend a lot of time when it comes to popping popcorn.  Usually, if we’re having popcorn, it means something is on television that’s SO important it calls for snacks. If this is the case, the last thing I want to do is to be in the kitchen and away from the fun for very long.  I certainly don’t want a huge mess to have to clean up.  The Stir Crazy Popcorn Maker is a dream come true.  You simply put three tablespoons of oil into the base, add a cup of popcorn, spread it out, put the lid on, plug it in… then watch the fun.

My arms are so happy!

The Stir Crazy takes care of the kernel rotation, and before you know it, you have a heaping bowl full of deliciously and perfectly popped popcorn.  You simply unplug and turn the Stir Crazy upside down, filling the clear bowl (which can double as a serving bowl) with delicious hot popcorn.

There’s even a butter dispenser on top. You can put a few pats of butter into the “well” before popping and watch as the butter deliciously melts over the popcorn as it pops.  I didn’t use butter in the batch of popcorn you see here because I had other plans.  I am WILD about adding M & M’s to popcorn – a habit I first tried at the movie theater.  I had popcorn, a box of M & M’s, and a Coke. I didn’t have a third hand, so before I left the concession stand, I dumped my M & M’s into my popcorn.  Snacker’s ingenuity.  When I got to my seat, I reached in and grabbed a few pieces of popcorn, accompanied by a few M & M’s…

Boom! It was so delicious, I wouldn’t dream of having movie popcorn without M & M’s ever again. It’s equally great with Peanut M & M’s as it is with regular.

I also add M & M’s to my popcorn at home about half the time.  Sometimes I buy peanut, sometimes regular.  This time, I bought M & M Minis because they were so gosh darn cute.

West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper, Mini M&M's, and Amish Popcorn

Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper, M&M’s Minis, and Amish Popcorn… Good things are about to happen.

You can use your favorite popcorn from the store in the West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper.  My husband regularly picks up bags of AMAZING Amish Country Popcorn when he’s in Rural King.  For this particular batch, I used their Baby White (Extra Small and Tender) variety – a favorite. The small and tender popcorn is a perfect match for the M&M’s Minis.  And, again, so gosh darn cute.

The West Bend Stir Crazy Electric Popcorn Popper is Fast and Clean Up is a BREEZE

Popping time in the Stir Crazy is about 5 minutes – and it seems even quicker than that. Maybe it’s because I enjoy the show so much.

As for clean up, the Nonstick-coated popping surface makes it so easy it’s ridiculous.  It’s almost as if it cleans itself.  If I could only get the rest of my kitchen appliances to master  this trick.

I absolutely positively recommend the West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper – 100 percent.  If you (like I did) microwave popcorn, you might want to rethink the habit.  Researchers say this practice is actually very unhealthy.  It isn’t the popcorn that poses the danger, but the bags, themselves.

Besides, the Stir Crazy makes popcorn that tastes so fantastic, it puts microwaveable popcorn to shame.

You will use this guy year round…

  • Wintertime with NFL games, NCAA football and basketball.
  • Summertime – Baseball and popcorn are one of my personal favorite combinations.
  • Movie night – what’s a movie without popcorn??!
  • During your favorite shows (Swamp People, Survivor, Justified, Food Network…).
  • Halloween – popcorn balls just became a cinch.
  • Christmas – popcorn for stringing is faster than ever.

Grab a Stir Crazy at your nearest Target or order one on Amazon today by clicking the following link – West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper.  It actually costs the same both places.  If you’ll notice, on Amazon, there are a lot of different seasonings and special popcorn popping oils to buy along with your Stir Crazy.

Whatever you do, give M & M’s in your popcorn a try.  If you WANT them to melt a little, add them right away – if you want the candies to stay firm, let the popcorn cool off just a little.  Either way, you’ll be blown away!

Popcorn and M & M's Minis

As delicious as it is pretty.

THE Best Drinking Glass is a Drinking Jar

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There’s enjoying a glass of iced tea, and then there’s enjoying a glass of iced tea! My aunt has always had a great little collection of glass jars with handles. For as long as I can remember, when any of us have tea (or Diet Dr. Pepper or.. egads!… water) at her house, it’s in one of these great little jars with handles.  The one pictured here is one of a Libbey Country Fair 16-Ounce Drinking Jar with Handle, Set of 12 (available on Amazon).

My aunt’s tea was (and is) always so good, too. She never sweetens her tea, and even though I usually prefer sweet tea, her tea always tastes great to me.  I’m convinced she has some sort of a little secret that only aunts are privy to.  At any rate, she got me hooked on drinking jars with handles.

For one thing, I prefer drinking out of glass because plastic sometimes tastes like dish washing liquid.

Never a good thing.

I’m also convinced, in my strange little brain, that you’re able to get glass cleaner than plastic.  Does that make perfect sense? No. Do I have any proof of my assessment? Of course not.  But the fact that it “feels” cleaner to me is more than enough reason for me to choose glass over plastic.

The advantage these glass drinking jars have over a lot of other glasses is their thickness. They don’t break as easily, which is a huge advantage to someone as accident prone and clumsy as I am.  Even I can carry one of these babies around the house or yard without the scenario ending in 1, 3, or 26 band aids.

Click through the link above or the image to the right for more information.