The coolest thing we saw this week 11/02/08
By: LMP Editorial Team - February 19th, 2008
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s it art? Or is it a laundry line? It’s both – and it’s very, very cool. Debra Jones’ creation, called Nature’s Dryer, offers a beautiful alternative to the rotary clothesline. Both whimsical and practical, the Nature’s Dryer has a PVC “trunk”, from which two levels of branches wrapped with sturdy galvanized wire, extend. And yes, it does hold a full line of laundry and can be set up indoors.
For more information, go to http://www.naturesdryer.com. Or come and see it at the Spring Preening seminar being done by LMP columnist Vicky Sanderson at the International Home and Garden Show. Vicky will share tips of the joys of line drying (longer-lasting clothes, reduced energy use) along with other ideas on how to welcome the season into your home.
Wallpapering is über-easy with Graham & Brown’s new paste-the-wall papers.
Dirt Devil’s two new cordless hand vacuums offer fingertip on and off control, a bagless dirt cup and a soft tip that’s easy on delicate surfaces. Here’s the exciting part – they were designed by style guru Karim Rashid, which means they do double duty as room décor. The Kone and Kurv vacs come in a range of colours, including oh-so-hot charcoal and chocolate. Prices start at an affordable $59.99. 
Resisting refinishing because it requires hours and hours of sanding and stripping? Think again. Minwax’s new Polyshades is a one-step stain and finish product that takes a lot of the hassle out of refinishing. This new product combines rich stain colour and durable polyurethane protection, and can even be applied over an existing finish. Available in Mission Oak, Classic Black, and American Chestnut. For more information, go to 
pasta, fish, meat, eggs and poultry in minutes. No water is added – the food cooks by steam, which keeps its flavour and colour fresh. These bags stand up on their own base in the microwave (no spills!), and have a tear-off top. A package of ten sells for between $3.49 and $3.99 at major supermarkets. For more information, go to 
The downside is that they are not recyclable or reusable for steaming. But I’ve been washing them out, and using them for storing prepped vegetables and shredded cheese in the fridge. I personally won’t be using them to cook eggs – too rubbery – but I love the Shrimp Pad Thai Soup recipe that Chef Dennis DeRooy created for Glad. So much so that I’ve included it below.
Hands up if you hate vacuuming. Wait - is that a breeze we feel, or is it the whoosh of millions of female hands being hoisted into the air? Well, ladies, put down your arms and pick up a robot. The Roomba 560 is a robotic vacuum that cleans the floors when you tell it to, easily gets to hard-to-reach areas like under beds and coffee tables, automatically adjusts from carpets to hard flooring, and then returns to a charging station when it’s finished the job. We really, really want one…Check it out at 
A clever idea that looks great and makes sense. Removable peel and stick chalkboard panels! Perfect for use in kids’ rooms, workrooms, and the kitchen - anywhere you want a surface on which to make quick reminder notes and lists, or give children their very own small place to scribble and play. Available in black, purple or green. The same company that makes these also sells wall tattoos in the shape of flowers, butterflies and trees. For more information, go to