Today, I happened to stumble upon Bestow, a unique gift, personal accessories, and decorative home boutique. The best way to desribe the products at Bestow, in my opinion, is a ‘cross between circus/goth and raunchy/romantic.’ This wide-variety boutique offers items, which I’ve included in my Seductive Gifts for Ladies and Home Decor and Accessories guides, that would make very unique and special gifts to bestow upon your loved ones or yourself!

Pictured (L-R): Fruits of Cornucopia Eau de Parfum, The Circus 1870-1950, Vice Canister-Downers, Message Pillow ‘Love’, Jeweled Zebra Pillbox, Fruits of Cornucopia Hand/Body Wash.

What do bullets, chicks, and weed have in common?

It’s probably not what you’re thinking. . . I’ve never done this before, but I added almost 50 products to one buyer’s guide on Kazowie today. Once I started, I just couldn’t stop. And you’re going to think I’m weird when you see the particular item that piqued my interest so much. . .

The buyer’s guide is called 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays. Why? Because there are 47 products, the items are all ice cube trays, and they’re all really cool, believe it or not. I never really thought much about investing in uniquely shaped ice cube molds, but if you’re throwing a party or want to spice up your daily cold beverage, this is the way to go. They’ll make an impression. I’ve included the most inexpensive ice trays I could find on my guide because you’re probably going to want to buy more than one tray of a certain shape, especially if you’re serving up drinks for several people. (It would be a shame to run out of dinosaur fossil cubes and have to switch back to REGULAR ice halfway through the party! Tacky.)

And get this: all the silicone trays featured in the guide also double as jello molds, chocolate molds, baking trays, or even butter-shapers (melt, pour, refrigerate)!

I also found these sick Progressive Ice & Slice ice cube trays, which involve putting slices of lemon or lime in the tray’s wells and allowing ice to form around the slices. If you’re as excited as I am about this, click 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays and select View Per Page: 50! That way, you can scroll through and enjoy all these awesome ice trays at a glance. You will not regret this.

Shown (L to R):Pi Symbol Ice Cube Trays, Fossiliced Dinosaur Ice Cube Tray, Fred Cool Jazz Ice Cube Tray, Silicone Alphabet Letter Ice/Bay Tray Set.

Weren’t floppy disks a cool invention? You could store tons of stuff on them and pop them out at the end of the day so you didn’t waste memory space on your precious computer. USB flash drives are the new floppy disks, except they’re smaller, cooler, and more portable.

They now come in tons of novelty shapes and sizes, because computer geeks like to have fun too. I think one of these puppies would make a cool gift for someone going away to college or someone who just purchased their first computer.

Pictured: An Owl USB Drive, USB Sports Shoe Drive, Sushi USB Drive.

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching (May 10th) and if you haven’t started brainstorming gift ideas, you should probably start soon! If you know your mom’s awesome, but don’t know what she wants or needs in terms of a gift, you can check out my Sweet Mother’s Day Gifts buyer’s guide, which contains some nice gifts (in a wide range of prices) that any mom would appreciate.

From left: Spa Stones Soap Set, Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia Cologne (don’t worry, it’s not man cologne!), Calico Juno Bracelet 09, Coral Pillar Candle Holders.

Just keep in mind your mom’s personal style and go from there. And remember, it’s the thought that counts, so don’t stress too much. Your mom will still love you no matter what you get her for Mother’s Day. . . She sorta has to.

Have a happy Mother’s Day!

SHOP FORNASETTI’S TEMA E VARIAZIONI NOW!

I came across Piero Fornasetti’s “Tema e Variazioni” (Theme and Variations) porcelain plate art series today. All of his plates feature the face of operatic soprano Lina Cavalieri, whose classically feminine mug he saw featured in a 19^th century magazine. The face plates in the collection number 350+, but the artist created a total of more than 500 variations of Lina’s Mona Lisa-like face using different types of media as well. His artwork is available for sale and I’ve featured a few bewitching pieces in my Theme and Variations Wall Plates buyer’s guide that you can adorn your walls with.

Kidrobot, designer and retailer of art toys and apparel, has been around for 7 years and, since then, has collaborated with top international artists to create hundreds of limited edition, collectible toys that merge urban/street trends with fashion and pop art. Kidrobot doesn’t stop at toys, either. Founder, Paul Budnitz introduced vibrant men’s and women’s apparel lines in ’06, along with tons of Kidrobot accessories to choose from (keychains, books, backpacks, shoes, home décor, jewelry, posters . . . The list goes on).

That all being said, I love the unique aesthetic of the entire Kidrobot collection and have compiled lists of my favorite picks on Kazowie. You should definitely check ‘em out:

Click here to see Cool Kidrobot Clothes for Guys.
Click here for Girl Kidrobot Apparel.
Click here to check out My Favorite Kidrobot Toys.
Click here to view Random Kidrobot Stuff.

Whoever came up with split expanders is a genius. I’m so glad that I am able to wear some of the most beautiful, hand-crafted, organic earrings I’ve ever seen without spending months to irreversibly stretch out my ear lobes to an unnaturally large size. Check some of my fave picks out on my Handmade Split Expander Earrings guide. I own a pair and there’s no way anyone can tell it’s not the real thing.

Quiz: Can you tell which are real expander earrings and which are split? (Answers below)

Split expander earrings create the illusion that you’re wearing one big fatty tapered (bone, wood, coconut, whatever) earring through an expanded lobe piercing but, in fact, you’re wearing two separate front and back pieces that connect together in your ear with a regular-sized steel earring post. If you want the look without the commitment, this is definitely the way to go. I’ve found some other very Pretty Stick Earrings (pictured below with split expanders) that also require no stretching of earlobes. Perf.

Aren’t they pretty?

[answers: a.stretch, b.split, c.split, d.stretch, e.stretch]

Tough-looking jewelry with feminine accents seems to be the hot new thang that will help us transition our accessory-wearing from the warm-weather days into the Fall months. I know you’re just getting into  Springtime wear, but fashion’s always two steps ahead, honey! This style of jewelry is hot for exactly that reason, though; it’s bold enough for the cold, but girly enough for the heat, a.k.a. it can be worn year-round and you’ll always be in vogue.

What do you think about tough-looking jewelry for Spring? Sport it or scrap it? Click here to VOTE NOW!

The Spring 2009 Fallon Jewelry line features super-sexy, machine-age spikes, studs, and stones. Stephen Webster, with Christina Aguilera as his muse, has also created a sleek new line of silver , scaly, shattered pieces that were made to stand out from the crowd. To really make a statement, sport a silver coiled serpant around your neck. Snake Jewelry is so sexy and daring! But is it a spring thing?

Everyone has someone in their lives who is just impossible to shop for. Either this person already has everything, likes nothing, or has the strangest taste of anyone you’ve ever met. He’s your geek friend. Shopping for his gift does not have to be a chore, however, as there are many awesome gadgets out there that are unique, cooky, and fun, just like your favorite geek.

I have selected a few of my shopper’s guides that I think might help anyone in search of a generic, yet unconventional, gift to purchase for a friend like the one described above. You can’t go wrong with any of the products from: Bobbleheads, Entertaining Coffee Table Books, Gifts for Your Favorite Geek, Keychains (trust me, they’re cool), or Monkeys. This is no laughing matter. Check out the guides. Trust. Holla.

I really enjoyed shopping through the shabby-chic/beach/Zen products of VivaTerra today. I never really considered this type of home décor my style, per say, but after I shopped around for some eco-sensitive, handmade home and garden accents in honor of Spring, I think I may have changed my mind. The eco-friendly items I found today would blend easily into anyone’s home, room, or garden.

These natural-looking pieces are meant to stand out in a non-obtrusive way and together, they add up to create a peaceful, serene, comfortable atmosphere in your home that any guest would appreciate. See the Springtime Garden Eco Accents, VivaTerra Wall Décor, and Eco Friendly Table Décor buyer’s guides and shop around for yourself. You may find a unique piece that suites your style perfectly! I found several!