Have I mentioned my obsession with finding the perfect bottle opener? If not, I should.

Bottle Hook in Copper from need supply $37

I posted a while ago about some great modern wooden spoons that had colorful handles.  I've been in love with the idea for a while, and wanting to try a DIY myself. Unfortunately there just aren't enough hours in the day. The good news though, is that someone has done it, and shared all the secrets. The picture above is from Little Bit Funky who made a great combo with unique spoons and bright colors. Check out House Of Earnest too for a more color subdued but equally charming version (picture below).

Thanks to the Wantist for the links. :)

Have any of our readers tried this? How did it go?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. It seems that everything that House Industries does is golden to me. Such is the case with their new Flour Sack Towels.  Available in black, orange or gray, it seems the only questions left unanswered is which one do I get?

Flour Sack Towels available in sets of 3 for $30.

Which is your favorite?

Summer is just around the corner, and that means it's time to have some quality porch time with your favorite refreshing beverage. I'm sort of obsessed with all sorts of bottle openers, the more interesting the better. The Kebo was designed by RUSH3 product design studio and is a modern take on a vintage design.

Kebo bottle opener $24

Equal parts art piece and useful kitchen utensil, Herriott Grace is making some of the best looking wooden spoons and kitchen utensils I have seen in a while. They definitely fall in the "not cheap" category, but that doesn't seem to stop them from selling.

Which is your favorite? How much would you pay for a gorgeous wooden spoon?

Herriott Grace

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If there is one good thing about winter, it's hot drinks.  The Teavana Alasdair Glass Tea Kettle takes that one good thing, and makes it look amazing.  Best of all, it's totally affordable.

Teavana Alasdair Glass Tea Kettle $40

Cold days call for hot drinks, and when you are on the move that means you need a good travel thermos. While there are lot's of good ones for coffee drinkers, if you are wanting to steep some tea on the run the choices are a little more slim. The Noble Travel Thermos definitely wins points for looks, but it's not all looks. It has some solid functionality as well. The stainless steel infuser holds your loose tea, and the double sided glass keeps the heat in. Available in a 12 or 16 ounce size.

Noble Glass Travel Thermos $29

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I really like the idea of fresh, purified water. I also like the fact that this bottle can be re-used and the charcoal filter can be used for six months before replacement. I will be purchasing one of these come March. via

Source Link: http://www.black-blum.com/products/eau-good-filter-water-bottle/

A while ago I decided to make my own wooden spoons. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Ever sense I have a whole new appreciation for a good wooden spoon. I've been playing around with the idea for a while to do a best made style artistic spoon, but it looks like someone beat me to it. I love this collection of wooden spoons from Reine Mere, and it might even motivate me to bust out that english walnut I have laying around and carve out another set.

Wooden Spoons (five colors available) €11,50

My Stepfather was a photographer when I was growing up, and consequently I spent a good deal of time in the darkroom of our local newspaper. They had these fantastic glow in the dark timers to keep track of film processing (ohh the good old days) that looked exactly like this one from Kikkerland. While this one seemingly lacks glowing parts, it is magnetic which makes it easy to stick on your fridge, and it's only 1" thin.

XL Magnetic Timer $20

A winter cold has had me feeling kind of down lately, and I've been hitting the hot drinks hard. I wish I had something as pretty as this to tote them around with though.  Made from glass, stainless steel, and wood the Therm-O Terra keeps beverages hot or cold all while looking amazing.

Therm-O Terra $37

Coffee. Sweet nectar of the gods. There is nothing like a proper cup to get you out of bed in the morning. While I typically rotate between my new white ceramic french press, and the Chemex that my girlfriend got me, I do like a good pour over. I even have a clever dripper that I use from time to time (thanks Mom!). Honestly I like the simplicity of all the previously mentioned items, especially with my bodum kettle. If you are looking for an all in one pour over machine however, check out this new one from Bodum. Attractive, compact,  and it has an insulated container. The $250 price tag hurts quite a bit, but at least it comes with a reusable filter.

Bodum Pour over coffee machine $250

via mocoloco

Yes please! The dishes from Danish company Bloomingville are absolutely amazing. Great color and pattern, and the price isn't bad either.  Now if I could just find a place stateside that carries them.

Bloomingville from http://www.woonwinkelsiep.nl

Description: From the geometric shape of two hexagons formed by nesting a repository for six kitchen knives. The uniform gap width is ensured by a rubber ring. The ring expansion to up to 12 knives sold separately.

Source Link: http://www.stilsucht.de/12/2011/wrench/

Curse you Emmas Designblogg for constantly showing me all sorts of wonderful Scandinavian products that I will never be able to have. Like this matte white fire extinguisher developed by Asplund and Brandsläckaren.se. So much want.

Asplund matte white fire extinguisher via Emmas Designblogg

I've been a fan of stainless steel cups for years now, mostly because I'm hard on things and have a tendency to break delicate items. I can't help but think my house would be a little more cheerful if my collection of stainless steel cups were painted like these Lolita cups from India. Available in 4 colors and patterns. Hand wash only.

Lolita Stainless Steel cup $12

Despite the fact that it refuses to snow, last time I checked it was still winter. Nothing is better on a cold winter day than a good hot drink, and I can't think of a better looking kettle to heat some water than this Tetsubin Kettle by Ikenaga Iron Works. Sure, it's not cheap at all. In fact, it's quite expensive. But honestly how many good years of use could you get out of a cast iron kettle. Your grandchildren's kids will thank you.

Tetsubin Kettle $450

Over the holidays my sister picked up one of these Dulton dustpans from a local big box store (TJ Max perhaps?). I've been on the lookout for a good dustpan for a while, and I think that this may be the ticket. Good sturdy construction, thoughtful design, and a good set of assorted colors. The icing on the cake? They are cheap, around $20. The bad news is that I can't find anywhere online that sells them. Anyone know of a good place before I brave the real world?

I honestly can't believe that another year has come and gone. 2011 was a roller coaster for me, but I've got high hopes for 2012. I'll hopefully have some exciting new projects to announce shortly, but in the meantime, lets do a 2011 roundup and look at the top 5 most read post from the year.

#1 The fantastic Loop 3D chair was quite the hit. With those gorgeous lines, it's no surprise either.

#2 Everyone like a good DIY. With my post on DIY vintage cage lights and a little elbow grease, you can have the look without paying the high price. Those looking for something that involves a little less elbow grease, keep your eye on the Modern Union etsy shop. I'm working on getting something up there with some amazing cloth lamp cord soon.

#3 Arian Behzadi left us all swooning for more graphic collage goodness. Let's hope 2012 doesn't leave us hanging.

#4 Speaking of graphic goodness, Jill of Beau Ideal hit all the sweet spots with her screen prints.

#5 Last but far from least come the intelligent and attractive twin one cutlery utensils. Putting sporks to shame all year long.

Thanks to everyone for supporting Grassrootsmodern by reading and sharing with your friends. We couldn't do it without you! Also a HUGE thanks to our sponsors. Without them we couldn't afford to keep blogging.

Generally speaking I have a hard time getting excited about something like a soap dispenser, but I'm going to make an exception in this case. The Birillo liquid soap dispenser from Alessi is quite the looker. Available in PMMA, white or mirror polished stainless steel.

Birillo liquid soap dispenser $43