Adagio Teas - ingenuiTEA

Anybody who knows me will tell you that I live on herbal teas and fizzy water.

Because of this, I was overjoyed to receive this amazingly clever tea infuser. Honestly, this is one of the handiest products I have ever used, and a convenient way to make sure you keep your water intake high. I can put my loose tea leaves into it, fill it with water, pop it in the microwave and then drain it into my mug without a single leaf escaping. There is a valve on the bottom of the unit that is released when you set it on top of your coffee mug.

As I am quite easily amused, I drank mug after mug of tea after I was gifted with this, simply to watch the valve release and the tea flow into my mug. This is a brilliant product! Go to http://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html?SID=8b and watch the video to see it in action.

It is microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

If you have ever experienced the misery of scrubbing dried-on tea out of a wire-mesh filter, you will love this product. The filter is one of the best on the market, and it comes clean with a simple swipe of a dishrag.

I am actually making a mug of mint and lemon-balm tea in mine right now.

You can find this and more at http://www.adagio.com

Colonial Candle - Colonial at HOME, sun-drenched herbs

This fragrant double-wick jar candle is clean burning and long-lasting. The scent is fresh and green, crisp and herby. There is a strong note of basil with a slight hint of citrus. The label peels cleanly off of the jar with no residue. The jar itself comes with a tightly-sealing lid and can be reused when the candle burns down.

This candle is a pick of mine for the holiday seasons for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the deliciously concentrated scent will diffuse throughout an entire room. During the winter months when the snowbound start longing for green leaves and grass, this will be a terrific aromatherapy aid to help ward off the seasonal blues. I have one in the living room and one in the bedroom.

Secondly, if you are domestically-impaired, and wish to host a dinner gathering, here's a tip. You can run down to the local deli, dish out the take-out on your best china, add some garnish and light the candle. It will smell as if you've been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. If it fools your guests, I promise I won't tell.

You can find these candles and more at http://www.shopcolonialcandle.com