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

Taged as: electronics, fun, gift idea, ipod, nerd, retro, Uncommon Goods

Posted by Lauren in Outdoors, Gadgets
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There’s no denying the simple attraction to hammocks. They are so comfortable looking and give you a sense of floating on air; how can you resist not wanting to relax in one? I personally can’t resist feeling a little kid-ish every time I see one and get that urge to call dibs and jump in it before anyone else can steal the best seat. So treat yourself or a special someone with the gift of a hammock swing, or traditional hammock (with optional tent). Both hammock styles can be hung outdoors, but the hammock swing is also appropriate indoors as well.

These hammocks are available at Magic Cabin and handcrafted by fair trade artisans in Columbia. They are made of sturdy hand-woven cotton and are machine washable as well. Magic Cabin gives the option of purchasing mounting hardware and accessories like a matching tent for the regular hammock. I can see kids having more fun with a tent on their hammock, while also providing shade on the extra hot days for the rest of us. Give the gift of comfort and relaxation with a handcrafted hammock from Magic Cabin.

Taged as: fair trade, Magic Cabin, summer

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Fun
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Labor Day weekend is fast approaching and that means one more big outdoor party for the summer. Unfortunately the bugs know this, so we have to be prepared to either deal with it, or light up our citronella candles and torches. I personally don’t appreciate getting bit by bugs while I’m trying to have a good time outside with friends. Which is why we should all have some citronella candles or torches around at our hot summer night parties.

There are some nice looking street lamp style citronella torches available from online retailers, and Target seems to be the best deal for this type. Pictured above is the Black Citronella Planter that has a nice powder coated aluminum construction for durability, with a fiberglass wick that says will last a lifetime, and a 20 oz. capacity for torch fuel or citronella fuel that should burn for about 5 hours. If you favor something that blends into your outdoor surroundings a little better check out this Solid Copper Cattail Torch available from Hammacher Schlemmer.

If you’re having a small get together and don’t want the big torches, there are plenty of citronella candles available as well. Sure you can get some boring cylindrical shaped candles, but why not get something more summer fun themed like this Ice Pop Candle set or Citronella Martini Candles both made available from Wrapables.

COUPON: Save up to 50% on the Wrapables Summer Sale.

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Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Household
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Having your very own trampoline in your front or backyard almost guarantees that you are one of the cool kids on the block. Surround that trampoline with cool water and the hot sun, and suddenly you are the most popular kid at the lake! The good folks at Hammacher Schlemmer have lots of fun-in-the-water toys and one of our favorites is an inflatable 12-foot water trampoline by Sea Doo. To be specific, the entire trampoline’s diameter is 12 feet, but the durable nylon jumping surface is a safe 6 feet in diameter. The trampoline is made of the same heavy duty materials used in life rafts and tow-ables and includes a detachable ladder and 20 foot anchor line with anchor bag. To make it easy for setup it comes with a rapid inflator, pressure gauge, high speed valve, repair kit, and tire valve adapter for quick re-inflation with your own pump. So bring the fun outside and into the water with a floating trampoline and friends while having a blast this summer.

Taged as: Hammacher Schlemmer, summer, water toy

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Splurge, Fun
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