3 Things I Spotted This Week – #53

An Ecosphere with living creatures, a glass ziptop bag, and decorative wood crates with lots of uses. Check out this week’s fun finds!

Just click the images or links for more information about each item.

I only write about things I have or love – and I’m sharing them with you because maybe you’ll love them, too. The links in this post may contain affiliate links. I’ll receive a small commission (at no expense to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. 

#1 – Ecosphere

Talk about a blast from the past! While holiday shopping for terrariums, this Ecosphere appeared in my search results. While it’s not the kind of terrarium I was looking for, it did bring back memories.

About 25 years ago, I saw these Ecosphere’s in a Sharper Image catalog and I was completely enthralled. It reminded me of the Sea Monkey’s I had (and loved) as a kid. I loved the idea of an enclosed environment and the science behind it. I ended up buying this oval-shaped Ecosphere and enjoyed it for many years! As a matter of fact, when we moved into our new house, my Ecosphere was still thriving and it moved with us. We moved in January and live in Minnesota, so I was very worried about it getting too cold during the 1+-hour drive to the new house. I packed it carefully in the same styrofoam form it came in, and then wrapped it in a wool blanket and carried it with me in my (warm) truck. It survived the move, and thrived for several more years within our new house. It was always an object of conversation, and no visitor could pass by it without watching the little “shrimp” swim around. This Ecosphere still sits on a glass shelf in our kitchen – even though it no longer has living creatures inside it, it still looks cool and I didn’t have the heart to toss it out.

When I spotted this Ecosphere again this past week, I was tempted to purchase a new one. My original Ecosphere was $140 – the price has come down a lot since then, and is now only $45. Hmmmm….. I just might have to start the New Year with a new Ecosphere…….

#2 – Glass Zip-Top Bag

I have to tell you… I have a serious love relationship with Ziplock bags. I use them for everything! When my parents were alive, they would ask me what I wanted for Christmas and I would always tell them “I can never have enough Ziplock bags”. It became a “thing” in our family, and every year at Christmas, my parents would give me boxes of Ziplock bags as one of my gifts. While most people might not get excited about that, I always was. These things are so versatile, I could write an article just on the many uses of Ziplock bags! But… this article is about things I spotted this week, and this glass zip-top bag was one of those things that stood out.

Just think of it. It’s made of glass and will last forever. Well, at least until one of your kids drops it and breaks it while washing it. When I saw this in an email newsletter, I just had to laugh. It reminded me of the many Ziplock bags I’ve gotten over the years as Christmas gifts from my Mom and Dad. It made me smile. I’d love to add this to our snack serving collection. I can just picture it on our center island, holding the latest seasonal candies. Everyone in my family would understand the significance of it being a “Ziplock” bag. And who knows, maybe one day it would become a family heirloom that I could pass down to my kids…

#3 – Decorative Wood Crates

I’ve been redoing our pantry to make it more efficient and to look even more put together. I had an idea in mind for wood crates on casters and asked my brother if he could build them for me. He did, and they are awesome for the heavy storage items like water bottles, mason jars, and more. I wanted the crates to be a plain, unfinished wood so they look good with all the white shelves and white bins I have in the pantry. I needed some smaller bins or crates for another shelving unit in the pantry and while searching online for what I had in mind, I ran across these wood crates.  I love that the crates are available in several sizes and I think the detailed patterns on them look pretty cool!

I’d love to use these smaller crates on shelves to tie together the plain wood crates my brother made. I think the designs on these creates add interest without being too overwhelming.

I can also imagine these crates used on a vanity in a bathroom to hold toiletries, or in a guest bedroom to hold books, small pillows and other convenience items. I also think these crates would look fabulous in a kitchen holding an herb garden, vases of fresh cut flowers, or even spices. So many possibilities!

How about you? Did you spot something online this week that you love? Share in a comment below!

You can find product links to all three things on Pinterest at Things I Like and you can find some of these things in my Amazon Marketplace Storefront.

NOTE: Since my job is an online store and mentoring ecommerce business owners, I spend a LOT of time online each day. While most of that time is spent working, I do occasionally stumble across websites, articles, and cool things that I really like. I save these things to a Pinterest board, so someday when I have some free time, I can go back to that board and enjoy the things I found. I enjoy sharing these fun finds with you, and hope you find them interesting, too!