Pack Rat has two ears and a heart–that’s why we love Phil Collins.

Look what I just bought! Honest to God, I am totally in love with The Utilitarian Franchise. This guy makes THE. BEST. STUFF. ON. EARTH. Snapple may try to make that claim, but oh ho ho hooooo boy, they are way off. Quick test. Which is better? Unique, affordable ($9.00 - $12.00 a piece), and blazingly surreal art slapped onto a hand towel…or some kind of artificial ice tea that tastes like bowel cancer waiting to happen? If you’re on the fence, let me remind you that these towels don’t just look like a Wonderland dream, you can also use them to dry stuff.  That’s two, count ‘em, TWO great uses in one. Where as Snapple…well, now that the Snapple lady is gone, they don’t really bring much to the table at all, do they? Stop surrounding yourself with mediocrity in your everyday workhorses. Fill your home with stuff that you’re going to love! And if you think I’m talking about Snapple, there’s just no hope for you.

View my most recent acquisitions. Do it.

photo copyright by The Utilitarian Franchise

photo copyrighted by The Utilitarian Franchise

Bob’s your uncle, Pack Rat is the dogs bollocks

One of my favorite episodes from 90s cult classic Canadian sketch comedy troupe, Kids in the Hall, is the one where Kevin McDonald decides to grow a beard while on vacation. As the days wear on, he gets intensely attached to his beard. When he wife suggests he shave off his prized facial hair, he turns on her and shouts, “The beard stays! You go!” Lucky for us, we now don’t have to choose. At beardhead.com, those of us who are follicly challenged in the facial region can get a faux beard, and those of us who need to keep their face rug warm in these chilly winter temps can enjoy these “ski masks.” Extra bonus, they come with moustaches that you can twirl like a cartoon villain.  For only $24.99, thats, like, a dollar a laugh.

photo copyrighted by beardhead.com

Pack Rat

A long time ago, when my grandma was cleaning out her basement I acquired a bingo game set. I’ve never been a gambling kinda gal (I’d rather keep the money I earned, thanks), but I loved to play bingo growing up because of those translucent, brightly colored chips you place on your bingo card. Fast forward several years and that same bingo game was shipped off to the Sal. I wanted desperately to keep those chips, but I just couldn’t come up with any good projects on the fly. I should have taken notes from MOCKFROG Jewelry. I just love this bingo chip bracelet ($16). It’s whimsical and vibrant piece of bling. Or, I guess since bingo chips can get you money, it’s pre-bling bling.

photo copyright MOCKFROG Jewelry

Pack Rat smells like we sound, we’re lost in a crowd, and we’re hungry like the wolf

Rainy days were always rough growing up. Who didn’t wish for some sort of Cat In the Hat like interventionist to come in and shake up those rainy day blues? What I got instead was my mom dragging out that God aweful Monopoly board, which took forever to set up and twice as long to play. Only later in life did I discover she found the game as tedious as my brother and I (I guess it was better than the total anarchy that would have occurred if we tried to entertain ourselves). But, after seeing this hilarious Monopoly Smackdown print by artist John Tebeau ($19), I think that all the game really needs is a fresh marketing campaign and a bold new look to make it more exciting. Dear Parker Brothers, please get on that. Because the red houses and green hotels? Totally not working for me.

photo copyright by John Tebeau

When Pack Rat thinks about you, we just can’t get enough!

Today’s pick comes from Breconstructed, a delightful play on words as shop owner Bree reconstructs outdated second-hand clothes into modern vintage. Although that might sound like an oxymoron, the pieces at Breconstructed retain their vintage appeal, but with some contemporary tailoring and detailing that make them less costume-y and more easily integrated into a modern wardrobe. We are especially drawn to this Blue Polyster Sundress ($25). The romance of the ruffled collar combined with the geometry of the stripes makes a combination that is the cat’s pajamas. And Breconstructed just opened on Monday, so expect more great design in the days to come.

photo copyright by Breconstructed