We love our seasonal gift guides and this year, we’re excited to include a couple of lifestyle products for your home since people have been traveling less and less although that is likely going to pick up as summer marches on. Here are a 3 of our latest gift picks, from coffee and tea to copper and stylish sunglasses.
Tea, Coffee & More with BODUM
When we saw this elegant design, we had to learn more. Even if you haven’t spent a lot of time in Europe, you’re likely to have run across them. Since 1974, BODUM has produced more than 100 million of French Coffee Presses and 30 million teapots, and their products are sold in 55 countries; with 20 BODUM stores worldwide.
Personally, I am always looking for new brands that make unique tea kettles and pots — same goes for coffee. I also love tasting creative new tea blends despite the fact that I remain loyal to the oldies but goodies: epic Earl Grey and the ever so smoky but lovely Lapsang Souchong. The latter is an acquired taste but I’ve been drinking it (loose leaves and bags) since college.
The Chambord tea pot – our top pick for elegant design
We took a look at the Capresso brand last year — their coffee pots tend to be a bit more conventional. And, the fall before Covid hit, we were fortunate enough to participate in a very traditional Japanese tea ceremony south of Tokyo at the Zen 2.0 Conference in Kamakura along the coast. What an amazing experience we had with nationally renowned Mushakouji-senke tea master Kyoko “Myokyo” Denda. She explained how one partakes matcha tea in a way to understand the essence of nature and being present, in order to awaken one’s consciousness to higher levels. Matcha tea of course has a number of health benefits as well.
Elegance is this showpiece’s middle name.
We are going through a copper phase although we’ve always been passionate about copper pots and pans. Although the gem below isn’t the best pick for parties or large gatherings, its perfect for entertaining a table of four or six. And, I’d add that it’s a show piece. The copper colored top (above) is a stand-out and you can use it for both loose tea and for tea bags depending on your mood.
Techies and tea snobs will love the use of heat-resistant borosilicate glass because it’s designed not to alter or impair the taste of your brew. At 44 ounces, there’s enough to serve yourself and family or friends visiting for dinner. It’s also easy to clean and btw, dishwasher safe as well, which certainly isn’t the case with all my tea pots and kettles.
What initially drew us deeper into their website was their long stem black electric tea kettle which we hope to review sometime this summer as they were out of stock when we inquired this Spring. Until then, they sent us the non-electric version that sits on top of your stove. Beautiful and elegant, right?
Visit their website for more information about their offerings which in addition to tea kettles and pots and coffee pot options, there’s travel press mugs as well.
Clocks & More by Arizona Copper
We love supporting women-owned and/or founded businesses and we accidentally fell upon one based in the gorgeous western desert of the United States. I had reached out to Jenna from Arizona Copper because I fell in love with their copper clocks. It turns out that her mom started the business a little over three years ago. So, I had to know a bit more about their story.
Apparently her childhood was spent in a small town with a backyard that overlooks the wide open desert. Combine that with Arizona’s signature sunsets, the natural beauty is evident. Inspired by her surroundings (and Arizona’s “5 C’s”), her mother started creating beautiful copper products to showcase their home. Says Jenna: “my mom developed all our original processes and designs, and managed the growing business on her own for three years.” Last year, Jenna and her partner Christian took over the business and are excited to see what comes next. Their work is truly a work of art and a variety of finishes are available.
Our favorite pick and the one we chose to review? The 10 inch round copper clock below that comes in a light blue, a greenish tone and a dark blue finish.
Their awe-inspiring copper clocks come with a few finishes as noted above. The blue or green patina contrasts beautifully with the natural copper shine. The round clocks measure approximately 10″ in diameter and each clock mechanism contains a small opening on the back for easy wall-mounting.
Due to the handmade nature of each item and unique qualities of copper, each item will vary slightly in color and shading/contrasts. In other words, no two designs are alike however natural imperfections add to the originality and charm. The patina will vary in pattern and color – colors range from turquoise to medium blue, dependent on how each piece of copper reacts to the processing. They use 18-gauge copper, which measures about 1 mm in thickness.
Dark Blue Finish
Or, you can opt to get a similar style Copper clock in a rectangle or square shape as well with the various finishes. Below is shown in a light blue finish.
Square and Rectangle options are available as well.
They also offer several finishes for copper napkin holders — we are particularly fond of the more rustic textured finish although you can get them in a smooth or shinier copper finish as well. Gorgeous right?
For more information, their latest offerings and how to order, be sure to visit their Etsy store.
Sunglasses by Remo Tulliani
Hand crafted in Italy, Remo Tulliani is known for their leather belts and ever so stylish sunglasses. All Stainless-Steel hardware allows their sunglasses to be both hypoallergenic while offering full coverage.
Their hypoallergenic sunglasses use Grilamid for both the arms and the frame, which is a high-strength plastic, making it more durable when you’re on the road. The glass lenses are also shatter resistant as well and they include up to 95% UV and IR protection against the damaging sun rays.
We fell in love with their JOY sunglasses for women which come in a variety of different color options. We opted to review the Tortoise largely because the color is more neutral, so can go for more outfits, which is important when you’re on the go and don’t have access to your entire wardrobe.
JOY sunglasses in Tortoise — just look at the detail, the color and the elegance.
Wearing the JOY Sunglasses in Tortoise
The JOY sunglasses also come in a color they refer to as Sapphire Fade, Sapphire Tortoise and Black. They tend to be a great option for a fuller face or if you want that very “full” look, which I love.
The JOY sunglasses in Sapphire Fade.
Also available in four different color choices and with the same stainless-steel hardware, strong Grilamid arms and frames are the GRACE sunglasses. The below pair of glasses is featured in one of the more interesting of the color choices: Sunset-Tortoise. Creative and cool, right?
Our favorite of the eight style options they offer is the JOY however we’d love to review a different style in the future. They offer men’s choices as well btw.
Four choices of eight styles for women.
In addition to high quality belts which we covered in a gift guide last year, and their ever so stylin’ sunglasses, they also make socks as well. Part of their philosophy in “creation” is also “to protect the environment while making accessories that stand up to any challenge in terms of style and craft.” Learn more about their commitment to protecting the environment.
Two thumbs up — we love the quality and style and their prices are reasonable too, most of them priced under $150. For more information including how to buy, visit their website.
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Note: we work with and receive products from partners on reviews but all opinions expressed are entirely our own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
