I love tools. Tools that make life better, work easier, and fun
funner. I get a lot of questions about which sewing machines I have,
what camera equipment I use, etc. And seeing as I haven’t put together
my FAQs page just yet, I thought I’d embark on a new theme for the
month of March… March of the Tools. Work tools, food tools, sewing
tools, whatever tools come to mind, but all tools that I love &
use.
To
kick things off, here’s one of my favorite doo-hickies – only the best
cherry pitter ever. My sister picked this up for me at Williams Sonoma
(I think) a number of years ago. No other cherry pitter will do. You
just place a cherry on top of that "O" and squeeze. The pit comes
shooting out the hole. Just make sure you wear an apron and do your
pitting over the sink into a bowl. (Oh look, here’s one with a splash guard.) Nothing’s more indulgent or
delicious than sitting down to a bowl full of pitted cherries, washed
and ready to eat. I swear, cherries are ambrosia & nectar in one –
food of the gods.
And
with cherry season well behind us, I resorted to the
crocheted-cherry detailing on one of my dolls to set the proper fruity
mood here. Not quite so photogenic as real cherries, but I saved
myself from a serious cherry hunt, so humor me.
The parading tools
will likely include some things silly, some serious and some
expensive. No bragging intended, just some dang good tools you might
want to know about.
Want to join me on this March of the Tools? I’d sure love the company. And
the tool recommendations. If so, here’s a badge you can
post in your sidebar. Link back to this post, so your readers will
know what’s up. (If there’s some trickier/better way to do badges,
certainly let me know.) This one is 150 dpi, or you can use the 250
dpi one here, or snag the clovered-up version from my sidebar. Add your link in the comments below so we all know who’s playing
along. Then we can all click over to your blog throughout the month to see what sort of tools we’re missing out on. And join the March of the Tools Flickr Group (great resource for next year’s Christmas list, I’m thinking).
That’s my 76 trombones. Cornets or not, I’m marching.
Cherry pitters are the bomb! *haha*
Seriously, the Boy could eat a pound of cherries a day if I let him, so this tool is a must.
I would love to play along. I have some silly tools, and a few serious ones. Expensive ones? Yes, guilty.
Looking forward to everyone else’s. Thanks!
Count me in! I love tools way too much. I will have to narrow it down to just one I think
Ohhhhhhhhhh I take a back seat to no one in my love of a good tool! I will have to think to narrow this down to fewer than a gazillion, but count me in! I look forward to seeing what everyone else is using, too.
Snap! Only noticed my cherry pitter in the depths of the kitchen drawer today… I am joining in, this will be fun.
Ahh…where to begin. I have lots of tools I love. I’ll only name a few. I made a Seamstress Apron from Craft Apple (http://craftapple.com/_seamstress_apron_.html)- not really a tool but I cannot live without it now when I am sewing. I also LOVE my chalk pencil (http://www.clotilde.com/list.html?criteria=chalk+pencil). I’m starting to salivate thinging of all my stuff…I better stop there! Happy day 🙂
Ah…..I will have to narrow this one down….will post on my page and link back here! Pamie G.
Oh, I am going to participate!!! Such a wonderful idea! And I have some favorite tools for sure!
One of my favorite tools, while we are in the kitchen, is my garlic press. What better way is there to mince fresh garlic, and mine has a self cleaner to get all the little remains out of the press.
I {heart} garlic!
🙂
My favorite tool? Oh goodness, I have one, but I’d be tooting my own horn so I’ll think of another NOT built by me 🙂
Hmmm, what a great idea on the cherry pitter. I’ve always wondered how to get the pits out of my cherries while leaving them pretty!
I’ll get back with a link on my tool of choice!
April
Ha! I just was reading the piece in ME’s Home Companion about you! Congratulations! And I just saw The Music Man last night at our local High School!-too funny…. Love your blog.
Hi Heather,
You could do a Mr. Linky on this post that way people just have to click on the people’s name and it will take them directly to their Tools post.
Here is the link to do it.
http://www.blenza.com/linkies/index.php
Hi,
I am delurking to comment for the first time! I wanted to let you know that I have the same cherry pitter and it is also fantastic for de-pitting olives. Try it out! Love tools that have more than one use…. 😉
OK- I have a ton of tools, but one of my favorites, I actually bought in Belgium a few years ago. I think they must sell them here in the U.S. I just have never seen one. It is….a stainless steel bar of soap. Crazy, I hear you say, but it is so amazing. It gets the icky oniony-garlicy-fishy smells off your hands when you are done preparing them. It works like a charm. You just rub it on your hands under cold water, like you would a regular bar of soap, and it takes the smell right off. I could not live with out that little soap now. Y’all will have to get one. That is my favorite tool. Fun post Heather.
I’ll play when I get home!
I also second the garlic press…. sooo helpful!
Ya, I’ve seen those metal bars of soap here in the US, so I know they’re findable. I might just have to go get myself one of those. I need to cook more lately anyhow and anything we can add garlic to, the better.
Go get one girl! You will not know how you lived with out one after a few uses. Garlic is sooo good for us, so you can’t go wrong either way. Now- if someone could just tell us a tool to get the garlic breath to go away…lol!
leylandlife.blogspot.com
Well, I have a huge cherry pitter that has it’s own bowl and the cherries go through a chute to the plunger and as you push the plunger they pop out into the bowl and the pits go out the side. Pretty cool but not as accurate as yours! Mine also takes up a lot of cabinet space because the plunger sticks up and out.
My current favorite tool is the Vidalia Onion Chopper. So simple but makes getting recipes that need chopped or diced onion, tomato, potato, avocado, etc…super quick. I love the fact that I can dice a half an onion in one push of the top and I don’t have tears running down my face. I have found I make recipes that require chopped/diced stuff more often now that I can do it in a tenth of the time. Dishwasher clean-up makes it soooo easy!
i’m strangely excited over this tool march. yay! 🙂
Count me in! Thanks for the cute picture to decorate my blog with too!
I’m embarrassed to say I was looking at that cherry pitter wondering “where do you attach that thing to your sewing machine?”. Guess I need to spend a little more time in the kitchen?
I have the cherry pitter with the guard and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I used to have the one without and it always looked like a nasty slaughter happened in my sink. The guard really works!
Oooh! Count me in!
Oooh! Count me in!
I’m IN! I couldn’t figure out how to post the pic in the sidebar and link it back, so I’m just going to put the Badge in my blog, and I’ll include my tool pic there as well! Great idea!
I’m IN! I couldn’t figure out how to post the pic in the sidebar and link it back, so I’m just going to put the Badge in my blog, and I’ll include my tool pic there as well! Great idea!
Ooh, I love fiddling around with tools too. I’ve got a great one I’ll post about!
This looks like fun!
Well now, I love games like this. Proof here:
http://monkeyporkbun.typepad.com/monkeyporkbun/tools/index.html
But opening it up to all tools, that’s awesome. I’ll see what I can dig up and how soon. I’ve been a busy bee and haven’t been able to post on my blog due to camera trouble and just busyness in general. But who’s busier than you lately, I wonder!
This is going to be fun.
Ohh, fun I wanna play too. I propose a Flickr group for photo’s of these tools~ Let me know if you would like me to start one or if you will. Thanks for the splendid idea~I’ll have to go get one of those cherry pitters now even though I didn’t “Think” I needed one.
Yes, a Flickr group. A great way to browse all these great devices at once. Good help for brainstorming your next Christmas list too.
The group is ready to go. Here’s a link:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/march_of_the_tools/
I’ll add it into the post as well.
this is a great idea! count me in! i have so many favorite tools that i use but am always up for learning about new ones.
Oh my goodness, I have a favorite tool. Its my loop turner! I’m not too big on kitchen tools, but sewing tools are a whole ‘nother story. I’ll March with you on my blog. ~jen~
i really really love my tupperware egg separator! you know the little gadget that separates the egg white from the egg yolk?
also…a little comment on the stainless steel bar of soap…rubbing your hands on the kitchen sink or tap or water faucet does the same thing and it is always there!!
How fun!! I love a gadget no matter how big or small so I will have to choose …..tricky but I think I know whats going to win.
Great idea Heather! I love my Crop-A-Dile Punch! You can check it out on my blog. Happy tooling!
I am not fond of lots of gadgets but I have a few favorite tools I use all the time. I’ll post a few this month.
Count me in. I’m so happy to finally find something to play along in.
http://seamsoflife.typepad.com
I am in! I have that same cherry pitter and it’s pretty awesome. I am going to have to give this some thougt – I once had the nickname “gadget girl” so you can probably guess I have a few favorites. And, I may get some new ones, too.
-Kristin
Wow! That is such a great idea… and I didn’t know there was such thing as a cherry pitter!!! You really can learn something new everyday!
Haha! I love it…. I’m thinking about it. I will definitely get in on this action.
I love it! I’m in!
Oh what a great idea! I’ll play!
http://www.ameliab.blogspot.com
I would love to join in, it also gives me an opportunity to write my blogposts in english for a while to see if I like it. I thought I would use this as an excuse to do some delurcing aswell, I love your blog and I have been reading here for about a year…ok it took me some time to comment.
I’m in! 🙂
nice idea…gonna be fun!
I can’t do it! I have tried and tried and I cannot upload any of the badges.Not sure what I am doing wrong-has anyone else had trouble and solved it?I’ll have to put it in with my first tool post : )Camera at the ready……..
Heather, I just wanted to say that I love, Love, LOVE your site and your fabrics. Talk about inspiration. I’ve always been interested in getting into sewing and making all kinds of cute little things for myself and my friends but I could never find any fabrics that I really liked at my local fabric stores and it was SO frustrating. I’m ordering a whole bunch of your fabrics and I’m really excited to start working on all of the projects that I’ve wanted to but couldn’t find the fabric to make them with. Thank you so much. Keep up the fantastic work.
Clare-
I’m pretty sure you can click on a picture to see its unique URL which you can then use for the html in your sidebar.
Or you can drag the photo to your desktop and save it on your own computer, then upload it to your blog like you would any other photo from your computer.
Or if drag & drop isn’t something your computer will allow, then I believe you can try right-clicking on the photo for a menu that will allow you to save it to your computer.
If anyone has better advice, please chime in. And correct me here too if I haven’t quite hit the mark in my how-to.
Hi Heather.Thanks so much.I copied it from a post draft and pasted it across.No idea why it wouldn’t work the typepad conventional way.Anyway its there.Looking lovely. : )
Lovely!! I’m an cherry addict… italian cherry addict!!
Great work Heather..I’m arrived here from flickr pages.. Bye from Italy!
I posted my first tool(s) today. More to come.
This is fun, I’ll join in on this one.
Love my purple thang, I use it all the time, especially when quilting…
Okay, I’m in. I LOVE tools. If I can figure out how to do it, I’ll add your badge to my sidebar. I’m posting right away.
craftspeaks.wordpress.com
Count me in. This sounds like fun and I have lots of tools I love.
Sounds fun! We have lots of “tools” around here – some of them more fun than useful! I’m new to blogging but am attempting to join in on this.
I love my cherry pitter – don’t know how I lived without it! It’s especially useful if you plan to dip your cherries in chocolate and pistacios!
I’d love to join the march – I’ll be posting at http://artfulsentiments.blogspot.com
hey, i just put up a post about some great helpers for knitting and crochet…as well as a link to this fun and informative month-long tool parade. to learn more about yarn swifts and ball winders, check out:
http://thischickadee.blogspot.com/2008/03/round-and-round.html
thanks for the great tips!
Yes I am in, I have so much fun with my “tool”, I hope it’s visible on the picture, but it stamps 3d, my name and favorite ‘phrase’ which is Italian for,
‘living in peace’.
Greetings……
http://www.pipersgirls.com
This will be so much fun! Can’t wait to play. The only hard part is deciding which wonderful tool to pick 1st.
I just posted some fun kitchen tools to my blog!
Love the theme!
Here’s my favorite tools:
http://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/category/handmade/march-of-the-tools/
With friendship,
Lisa
Thanks Heather for this great fun idea. It’s going to be fun. Here are my recommendations.
http://kangaroopals.blogspot.com/
What a fun idea! I’m a little late, but here’s my contribution: http://sarahsbluecastle.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-of-tools.html
-Sarah
My first choice is my rock maple rolling pin. I love it!
http://cottageonfoxhollow.blogspot.com/
More tool folks! This is a terrific idea, Heather!
Hi Heather! Here is a last-minute entry… I got a salad spinner today, and was inspired to get in on the “March of the Tools” fun. Just blogged about it! 🙂
Oops, I guess I should link you to my post huh?
http://thecherubscloset.typepad.com/weblog/2008/03/spinning.html
Just add one more tool to the pile.
http://kangaroopals.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-of-tools.html