“These are a few of my favorite things…”
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Health
Sublingual B-12 – There is scientific studies that show taking a daily B12 vitamin can keep mosquitos from biting you. I am highly susceptible (and allergic) to mosquito bites. This B12 is sublingual so it absorbs into your body better than a pill form. This particular one is also made in America (something that matters to me).
OUAI Rose Hair & Body Oil – I love this oil for whenever my sin is feeling thirsty and dry. It is great for the colder dry winter months. It smells great and doesn’t leave that greasy feeling behind.
Permethrin – Another mosquito repelling helper. Also made in America. Military grade insect repellent. Unlike regular insect repellent, this goes on your clothes and while wet, should not touch your skin. It also lasts for 6 washes!
Phillips Sonicare – I know its weird to say this, but I love this toothbrush! I get that great “fresh from the dentist clean” feeling every day. It is rechargeable, and it has a timer that tells you when to move to the next quadrant of your mouth. (Don’t forget to pick up a pack of replacement heads to have on hand.)
Home & Kitchen
Food Saver – The Food Saver is a commonly used appliance in my kitchen. I use it to portion out meat, to store dehydrated fruits and veggies, and even to marinate steaks!
Food Saver Bags – The bags are always good to have on hand. They come on rolls and you simply cut them to fit the size of your needs. The bags are reusable, however after a couple of uses, they get to small to store much.
Eufy by Anker – This robo vac is affordable and it helps keep the pet hair manageable.
Mason Jars – Canning has been a part of my life my whole life. My grandmother canned, and my mom canned, and now I can. (My mom makes the best homemade spaghetti sauce and we can it every summer.) I inherited my grandmother’s Presto Canner last year and I have now canned my own homegrown tomatoes from the garden. When canning you need quality jars, and Mason jars are reliable, reusable and thus environmentally friendly! When you buy them new you get a set of lids and rings with them. The rings are reusable, but the lids are one time use only – because of the seal. It is always good to have some Regular Mouth and Wide Mouth Lids on hand if you plan on doing any canning. Also when canning, you can choose from various size jars. The most common are: Quart, Pint, and Jelly jars.
Hard-Sided China Storage – I received a set of china (plates, bowls, platter, saucers, teacups, the works) from a neighbor who was moving and didn’t want it. I immediately began the hunt to find some safe storage options for these fragile pieces – I’m saving them for special occasions. I bought these and they are fantastic!
Dash Popcorn Popper – I posted about making Kettle Corn on the stovetop I looked into getting a popcorn popper. I got this one and I love it! It has a spinner which eliminates all the shaking, and it keeps the popcorn moving so that it does not burn. This popcorn maker is easy to use, easy to clean, and it makes creating different flavors of popcorn a breeze!
Dash Air Fryer – This air fryer has a 6 quart frying drawer – that’s big enough to cook a whole chicken (in 50 minutes)! It is so easy to use, simply set your temperature, then your time. It gives you healthier, crispier food – think French fries with less grease. I also use this to cook fresh veggies, and even to cook eggshells that i grind up to be used in my garden.
Dehydrator – I use my dehydrator to make jerky and fruit leather, but I also use it to dry herbs. I have recently started using it to dry greens and veggies that are on the verge of having to go tot the compost. I dry carrots (roots and greens), tomato skins, squash, etc. then grind them in my food processor to be added to soups later (adds vitamins, minerals and flavor). With 5 trays, you can tackle any drying project. (BPA-Free!)
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – A Kitchen Aid stand Mixer has been in my home since before I was born. I remember so many years of making Christmas cookies in it with my mom and my sister. Then as my interest in cooking and baking grew I branched out to cakes made from scratch, breads, etc. This is an important kitchen appliance for anyone who enjoys baking. The great thing about the Kitchen Aid mixer is that it works with available attachments (such as the pasta roller, food processor, meat grinder, and the peeler/slicer) to extend the capabilities of this one appliance.
Beauty & Fashion
Lash Lift – I have naturally (relatively) long eyelashes. The only problem is that they tend to grow straight ou, or even down like Snuffy on Sesame Street. I saw another blogger I’ve followed for years try this after several professional lash lifts. Her results were great and I decided to give it a try I loved it! It takes a little finesse but it isn’t too bad as far as home beauty treatments go. There is enough in the kit to do more than one set of lash lifts.
Coconut Oil – I use coconut oil to remove my makeup. It is cheap, effective, nourishing and moisturizing. I also use coconut oil as a hair mask for 1 hour at least once a month.
New Balance Sneakers – I love that New Balance is an American company. I also love that they make comfortable tennis shoes that last! I love this particular pair. (It took a little time to get used to sneakers without a tongue, but now I can’t understand why they made them any other way – no tongue to shift or slide down now.
Wide Brim Fedora – I love this hat! It is perfect for fall and winter weather. Warm and fashionable! AND available in many colors.
Garden
Fiskars Weed Claw – This weird gadget is heaven sent! It is ideal for permanently removing dandelions, thistles and other invasive weeds, and its long handle makes bending, squatting, stooping and kneeling to pull weed a thing of the past. It also gets the ROOT! No more herbicides, or patches of dead grass. No more pulling the weeds, just to have them grow back – because the root stayed in the ground. This tool also makes harvesting dandelions (did you know they are edible?) easier than ever. This is one of my absolute favorite gardening tools.
Seed Bank – Non-GMO seeds for your garden. A GMO (or Genetically Modified Organism) is “any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques”. Sounds space-agey and weird, but in fact, most of the food we eat (from the grocery store, including product) are GMOs. GMOs are painted to sound good by governments and universities, however they often have detrimental effects for sustenance farming communities and the health of humans who consume them. If you don’t believe me, I encourage you to do your own research. In the meantime, if you are planting a garden, I strongly encourage you to check your seed packets to make sure they say they are non-GMO seeds. This seed bank is a great resource. Side Note: Save seeds from your garden year after year to create your own seed bank.
Solar Garden Lights – Every garden (flower for vegetable) looks great with a littl ebit of light at night. These lights are great! They add a warm look to your garden or landscaping at night and they also help deter some pesky animals looking for a tomato to steal.
Gloves – You always need a good pair of leather gardening gloves – even if you tend to garden bare handed like I do, there are occasions where gloves are helpful.
Pruning Shears – Pruning shears are always in use in my garden. From cutting off dead limbs of my tomato plants, to shaping up landscaping plants, and event to dead heading roses. I love this pair. These have a blade that stays sharp, they are comfortable in my smaller hand (they don’t fee unwieldy) and they are easy to use (don’t get bogged down). They have a 1″ cut capacity – really for anything bigger than that you need to drag out the big loppers.
Trowel – In the thick Texas clay soil we have in North Texas, a trowel becomes your best friend during planting season.
“Attainable Sustainable” by Kris Bordessa – This book has it all: eat, make, clean, grow, farm, trek and more! It is a great reference source, and it is so easy to get lost in this book with all its details and beautiful photographs. Perfect for anyone who dreams of being a homesteader.
“Neil Sperry’s Lone Star Gardening” by Neil Sperry – This is basically the gardening bible if you live in the Lone Star State. Full of beautiful color photographs, and a wealth of information. It includes things like planting seasons, shade conditions, water requirements and so much more. It also has monthly tips and to-do lists to help your garden truly thrive. I wrote a post about this gardening resource, and you can read it here. (You can only get this one from Neil Sperry’s website: https://neilsperry.com)
DIY/Crafty
Gorilla Gel Glue – I have mentioned my love of Gorilla Gel Glue in several of my posts (along with a few of it’s endless uses). This is my go-to crafting adhesive!
Various Hooks – I recently started a project that I needed a 10 mm sized hook, luckily I was given a collection of various sizes for Christmas! This set contains hooks from 2-10mm. They should cover any crochet project needs.
Fiskars Thread Snips – These are the perfect snips for clipping thread and yarn tails. They are compact (easily fit in my crochet hook pouch) and they are easy to use!
“Whimsical Stitches” by Lauren Espy – This was the first crochet pattern book I started with. As a self-taught crocheter I found this book to be perfect for starting out. The author includes many pictures and reference charts to help you if you get stuck or if you simply forget what an abbreviation stands for.
“Crochet Café” by Lauren Espy – I loved the patterns and simplicity of the way the book and patterns were laid out in her first book, I happily bought and used Lauren Espy’s second book!
“Crochet Cute Critters: 26 Easy Amigurumi Patterns” by Sarah Zimmerman – I used this great book to make 4 personalized cuddly cats for Benchley’s best IG “furriends”.
Prismacolor Pencils and Markers – Prismacolor is the best colored pencil and marker brand you can buy, and because of their renown quality, their price is a bit high. That old adage “You get what you pay for” was made for these products. They make a great gift for those blessed with 2D art skills.
Embroidery Hoop – As anyone who has done any embroidery work knows, a good hoop makes a difference. I personally prefer wooden hoops to the plastic options.
Acrylic Paint Pens – I love these paint pens! They have a fine tip for the ultimate precision, and the paint flows smoothly. The colors are vibrant and the tints and shades are a full spectrum within the color set.
Books
Check out my Reading List for all the books I have read since 2014, but if you want to see some of my absolute favorites, here they are. I would gladly read and reread these books time after time:
“Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand
(featured in my 21 Books Every American Should read in 2021 post series)
“The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexander Dumas
(years ago a wrote a post about the book vs the movie)
“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
The “Harry Potter” Series by J.K. Rowling
“Live” by Sadie Robertson Huff
“Four Doors Down” by Emma Doherty
(I wrote about Ryan Jackson in my 2021 Valentine’s Day post “Love Between the Covers”)
TV on DVD
Just a few of my favorites. On DVD I can revisit them when the internet is down, and even when they get removed from their platform. (Plus, nothing ruins a good binge like commercials!)