Everyone needs a little reassurance every once and a while right? Right. What would you pay to be able to give someone a boost in self-esteem every morning? Wait, don’t answer yet. What if I told you that by giving them this daily boost you will have ultimately raised their self confidence level by two notches every week? Now how much would you pay?

Don’t answer that. Instead just give the gift of an ego-boost with every Complementary Cereal Bowl they use. These hand painted bowls say things like “You’re the Man! You’re Handsome! You’re Strong! You’re Charming!” along with my favorite “Chicks Dig You!” and are available in various colors. These bowls are lead free, dishwasher safe, and microwave safe (if you’re into that). Also available are Complementary Ice Cream Bowls that say things like “You’re Sweet! You’re Delicious! You’re Positively Yummy!” and are ceramic.

Now if you really want someone to feel good about themselves you’ll get them a set of Archetype Cereal Bowls. These cereal bowls announce everything from your divinity to your genius. Choose from Diva; Miracle Worker; Princess; Hero; Genius; and Goddess. All of these bowls and more are available from Wrapables.

Related: Ego Boost Mugs

Posted by Sean in Household, Unique
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We got wind of a coupon that could save you some money from an eco-friendly online store and we want to share it with you. VivaTerra is their name and we’ve mentioned them once before in our Nature Inspired Home Decor post. Their products fuse eco-friendly materials with exceptional quality and design while using organic and sustainable sources for their creation.

I was particularly impressed with their Bamboo Bath Towel Sets because of the ingredients used and where they are made. They use organic cotton and bamboo-extract which improves in silkiness with each wash. Awesome! Then mention that these are made by a windmill-powered factory on an island off the coast of Japan. Sweet! And to top it all off these bamboo towels are extremely lightweight, highly absorbent and quick-drying. What else do you want in a towel?

VivaTerra is also making donations to worthy causes with very purchase over $75. You get to choose whether you want to plant a tree for environmental restoration or to offset 100 lbs. of CO2 (the cause of global warming) by contributing to building new wind turbines on Native American Reservations in South Dakota. They will ask you to choose one during the checkout process.

COUPON: Free shipping on orders over $75 Use Coupon Code CJ0806 during checkout. Expires Oct. 8th 2006.

Posted by Sean in Unique, Green Living
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Originally designed for military applications these are a more fun and inexpensive version of the popular finger lights. They are also referred to as finger flashlights, but what ever you call them they look like fun. These are designed with kids in mind but that doesn’t mean us adults can’t join in the fun every once and a while. These battery powered LED Finger Lights come in a set of 4; a different color for each finger. Strap them all on one hand or two on each hand and wiggle your fingers around for some awesome light show action. These are also good for Halloween allowing your hands to be free of a regular flashlight so you can grab more candy.

These use “AG3″ button cell batteries so they will last a good while and are easy to replace.

Posted by Sean in Kids, Fun
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Bathrooms are usually one of the smallest rooms in a house, so it’s one of the first places people decorate. It’s also usually one of the first rooms we visit when we get up in the morning and eventually used by everyone in the house daily. This is why it’s advantageous to make it an enjoyable environment. For these very reasons Mable’s had to write an article on creating a beautiful vintage bathroom.

A cornerstone to any retro/vintage bathroom has to be the tub design. What screams “this is a vintage bathroom” more than a clawfoot bathtub? Luckily VintageTub.com has extended their $100 off complete clawfoot tub sets offer. Just use the coupon code in pink during checkout. These tub sets feature a cast iron clawfoot tub, faucet, drain, and supply lines.

COUPON: Save an additional $100 on VintageTub.com’s Complete Clawfoot Tub Sets - Free Shipping, too! Enter code: VTBCJ100 at checkout!

RELATED: Mable’s Retro & Vintage category.

Posted by Sean in Retro and Vintage, Household
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LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and they are much more energy efficient and produce less heat than the traditional incandescent light bulbs. They also have a longer life making them attractive for those who want to save energy, and the time it takes to buy and replace traditional light bulbs. It is taking a while but everyone seems to be switching from the traditional light bulb to these longer lasting, energy efficient LEDs. I’m not sure if this is true across the country yet, but here in California our street lights are being replaced with LED powered lights that are not only brighter, but will last longer and result in less outages. In addition to street lights some new cars and trucks are taking advantage of the longer life and efficiency of LEDs in their interior, dashboards, and brake lights. It’s just the smarter choice.

That’s why we here at Mable’s want you to know about these LED Light Bulb Replacements. It’s a little difficult to find a lamp, or lighting fixture with LEDs already built into it. Which is why we like these retro fitted LED lights that screw right into a standard 120V light socket. When your old lights burn out, which they will, you can just screw in these long life (up to 10 years) LED light bulbs. Our friends over at ThinkGeek also believe these are a great idea and they have one of the lowest prices for these types of replacements.

Posted by Sean in Household, Green Living
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I’m not a GPS guru or anything, but I’ve always wondered about the personal tracking ability of GPS units and how well that can be implemented to be able to track your kids. When I was a teenager beepers (aka pagers) were the newest thing, and my friend had one so his parents could quickly get in touch with him if need be. This was before cell phones were so “affordable”. But even cell phones can’t give you the location of your child or the speed at which they are traveling in the car. Well at least not yet.

But we’ve now entered the age of Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), and Internet based applications. Now products like this Locate 1, Powered by MicroTRAKgps are available from Sharper Image. This device can locate your child within about 3 meters. In addition to being able to locate your child, or whatever you place this device on, this system can also tell you how fast they are going. I like this part because you can set alerts so that if your child drives over a certain speed limit, or goes out of a certain area you specify, you can be notified with a simple text message to your cell phone. Then you can call them and bust them in the act! Could you imagine getting a call from your parents 30 seconds after showing your friends that your Delorean can go 88mph like Marty McFly? Ouch. All of this fun busting information and settings are easily set and tracked via an Internet based system from MicroTRAKgps’ website. So as long as you have an Internet connection you can check the location and speed of your handy GPS tracking device and what ever it’s hidden in.

Other uses for this GPS device include things like calculating total miles driven, or alerting MicroTRAKgps of an emergency so they can notify the proper authorities. The device weighs no more than a regular cell phone, and is the size of a deck of cards so it can be easily hidden or carried without hassle. Battery life can last up to 5 days for extensive tracking.

COUPON: $15 OFF any $75 purchase! expires 8-31-06

Posted by Sean in Kids, Gadgets
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Ever wanted your very own garden to grow your own food but never had enough room? Now you have no excuse, because we’ve found a Miniature Edible Garden that takes up very little space and can be grown indoors. Great as a gift, this miniature garden can be grown with natural or artificial light, features a recyclable structure, 4 biodegradable felt pads to use as artificial soil, and 4 packets of seeds. Seeds included are clover, lettuce, watercress, and mustard seed. Just add water every day and sprouting shoots should appear within several days and last 3-4 weeks. Refill seeds are available and the felt pads are reusable for easy garden maintenance.

DIY Spin: Spend some creative time with the kids building a miniature garden DIY style.

Posted by Sean in Unique, Green Living
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Gaiam’s prices are already competitive for the eco-friendly niche products that they sell, but when they have their Annual Sale you can save an additional 20-75% off. Many of us don’t have the budget to purchase only green products, so this sale is an excellent opportunity to switch to organic cotton towels (50% off), compact fluorescent bulbs (up to 70% off), solar powered battery chargers (40% off), and the like. They also have a large yoga/Pilates & fitness section, which includes such steals as the Sports Conditioning Yoga Kit for just $19.99. It includes extra long yoga mat, foam brick, yoga strap, Sports Conditioning Mini Workouts instructional DVD, and Power Yoga Flexibility VHS. There’s also lots of yoga/fitness clothing on sale, such as the 80% off Yoga Top and the 62% off Yoga Pants

In the Decor & Furniture section there are these Recycled Luminaries (made by women in a rural Mexican village) that I’ve loved since they debuted Christmas 2005, and now you can snag them for 50% off.

Gaiam is perhaps my favorite green online store, and they believe that “…given a choice, people would choose a lifestyle that is healthy and life enhancing — for themselves, their families and the Earth… The Gaiam lifestyle is a vote for Media that Matters, individual wellness, and the sustainability of the Earth’s resources.” Now there’s a company I’m happy to spend my “dollar votes” at.

Posted by Lauren in Clothing and Accessories, Green Living
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With Labor Day weekend right around the corner, I had me a little brainstorm. Since we live within spitting distance from the beach, why not haul a cooler of water bottles down there and sell them to the touritsts for a fair, yet worthwhile, profit? Not 24 hours after the idea struck did I see these adorable light-weight coolers with ipod speakers from Cool Tunes. They’re too small for my water-peddling scheme, but they are the perfect size for you and your friends! Each holds 8 soda, beers, or other 12 oz. cans and is made from 100% insulated cotton. Two retro designs, Woody and Mod Floral, each come with AM/FM stereo and the ability to connect any iPod, CD, mini-disc, or MP3 player to it using a headphone jack. These ipod boomboxes have 2” loudspeakers that are waterproof so the ocean spray or splashes from the pool aren’t going to spoil the fun. I think this would make an ideal lunchbox since it’s convenient (lightweight, collapsable, portable size) and comes with built-in tunes. Or, if you can’t stand purses like me, it’s a good alternative to a regular purse or mini day-bag.

RELATED: ipod Alarm Clock, ipod Covers

Posted by Lauren in Outdoors, Gadgets
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Let’s face it, most people have a few crumbs of food, strands of cat hair, or mysterious crust down in the deep trenches of their keyboards. Heck, some even have all three! Take it from me, it doesn’t always come out with a simple flip and shake of the keyboard. What should come standard with computers is this mini keyboard vacuum. This one is made available from Uncommon Goods and has four different attachments to help brush and suck out all the nastiness hidden in your keyboard crevices. At only 4 inches long and 3 inches wide this mini keyboard vacuum can fit easily on your busy desk. It uses 2 AA batteries and is made of frosted translucent plastic.

If you’d prefer a keyboard vacuum that sucks and blows (::snicker::) then I’d suggest the Shuttle Computer Cleaner from Stacks and Stacks.

Posted by Sean in Nerd, Gadgets
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It’s back to school time and for a lot of people that means new clothes, school supplies, and of course books. Books are an essential item that can’t be overlooked or bought later in the school year, so it’s wise to get them now at a low price. In my experience it is best to buy the books used simply because of the cost. I’m not talking about used for the past 5 years kind of books. I’m talking about used for one or two semesters and no longer needed by that student type books. The best place I’ve found for used text books for school is Half.com. They have a huge selection, because it is user based, so you are buying from normal people like you and me instead of stores. They also have an easy to navigate website and solid user rating system for buyer confidence which is very similar to eBay.

I find it very convenient to search by ISBN number so that I get the exact book my class requires. There are lots of revisions out there and you need to make sure you get the right book for the right class. The banner above will take you right to their textbook superstore where you can easily type in the ISBN numbers of the books you need.

COUPON: Get an additional $5 off of a purchase of $50 or more. Simply use coupon code “SAVEBIGNOW”. Good only for new buyers. Offer expires September 29, 2006.

Posted by Sean in Misc
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We here at Mable’s are big fans of local Farmer’s Markets because we like to support local farmers, and their prices are lower than stores, even for organically grown produce. You can also get a lower price per item when you buy in bulk, but the only problem can be proper storage for lasting freshness. Fruits and veggies are a favorite with many families, but they don’t last very long in the standard plastic storage containers, even in the fridge.

Enter the FresherLonger™ Miracle Food Storage containers from Sharper Image that promise to keep food fresher for up to 3-4 times longer. They have a couple patent-pending features that keep out oxidizing air and reduce growth of mold and fungus, including silver nanoparticles and silicone-gasket locking system. These food storage containers can be washed like normal containers and are even microwave safe (if you’re still into that). They work for any fresh food, but aren’t recommended for fermented foods because bacteria is one of the things they prevent the growth of.

A customer review of these Fresher Longer containers states “… just before I went out of town I sliced fresh strawberries and put them in one of the small containers hoping they might still be OK when I got back. This morning (14 days after I put them in the container) they were fresh and firm and delicious!”

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of throwing out food because it was hidden in a storage container behind something in the fridge and/or I just didn’t get to eat it in time. I’m ready to replace my old containers for these naturally antibacterial containers and start enjoying all the fresh produce I purchase.

COUPON: The coupon for this item has expired. Please visit our coupon page for more deals.

Posted by Sean in Household
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Because we’re good little nerds, the Mable’s Crew is constantly scanning the Interweb for new and interesting things of note. In our quest to find products, services, and companies to spotlight, we also naturally come across a great many rad blogs. We were as shocked as you. Other websites… with blogs… that are feature interesting goodies? No way. So without further ado, here are some of the product related blogs that make our hearts pitter patter…

With it’s sarcastic take on pop culture, My So-Called Strife has become a daily read for us. It’s reminiscent of X-Entertainment (a simile I take seriously, for XE is amazing), and features huge product collages and reviews that obviously took a bit of time to create. Kirkkitsch blogs every weekday, which adds up to a lot of excellent content. His sidebar, despite recently being the topic of a little Internet drama, is also jam-packed with linkworthy sites and well chosen banners. His Cafe Press store features “kitschariffic” vintage images, some with sassy, snicker-inducing text. OK, I’m done gushing now.

Home Tone is actually part of a huge network of blog sites, but like it’s name indicates, this particular blog focuses on our homes. They update frequently with ideas and products that help turn a house into a “personal heaven”, and their categories are expansive and well divided. They also have a sidebar that begs mentioning, as it’s equally useful.

A good weekly visit site is Strange New Products, which presents the “weirdest, funniest, stupidest, and ingenious new products entering the marketplace”. Not unlike a car crash, it draws you in, despite the often asinine nature of the products being featured. SNP is also part of a large network of quality sites, with Orange County Memories being our favorite. (Hey, we’re Southern California natives, too.)

If you’ve got an interesting blog (with a shopping, product, pop-culture, or other quasi-related topic) that you’d like us to check out, give us a holler (our contact info is on thr right) and we’d love to check it out.

Posted by Lauren in Misc
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If given a single piece of string and told to create art, the average person would probably tie some bows, do a spinoff of cat’s cradle, or maybe give up and wind it into a ball. Three architecture students aimed higher and came up with 4 very unique, handmade, little spooky dolls. I’m always drawn to toys or dolls with a creepy, gothic, living dead feel, and I love the simple, raw style of these little guys. They are decorated with satin, felt and bead accents, and are actually made from 1 continuous piece of string… more
[via 365 Halloween]

Posted by Lauren in Halloween, Clothing and Accessories
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When I was a kid and got brand new socks I couldn’t resist running and sliding on our tiled floor area in the house. The bummer is when I fell, it really hurt. So I learned to try my slick socks on the carpet, but that didn’t work so well, and it burned holes in my socks much too quick. Every year that passes I realize that kids have some pretty awesome toys compared to when I was a kid.

Cool toy #142 that wasn’t available when we were kids is these Fun Slide Carpet Skates from Leaps and Bounds. They are easily strapped onto shoes and have a friction-resistant plastic base with comfortable foam foot grip to allow for hours of non-stop skating fun. As noted on the product page these are a fun introduction to skating and great for rainy days to get all that pent up kid energy out.

These Carpet Skates are a multi-award winning kids product: iParenting Media Excellent Product Award, The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products, Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products, Playthings Toy of the Week, and Toy Tips Mark of Excellence.

COUPON: Click Here to Save 15% at Leaps and Bounds.

Posted by Sean in Kids, Fun
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