French Press
I bought it about five years ago and didn't enjoy the way coffee ended up when I used it. I recently pulled it out of the pantry and used it on a whim to make loose tea and was pleasantly surprised. I also plan to use it to make a steep-y broth for some sort of Thai soup, a la Jamie Oliver. Plus, pretty, so it might be worked into the new decorating scheme for the kitchen.

Murphy
Murph (a shepherd cross) was a rescue and joined our home last May. We were his fifth home in as many months and he had the extreme lack of social skills to prove it. He has the best face, which he uses to wrap me around his little paw. He has enjoyed sitting next to me in the washroom while I am on the throne since the first day he came home with us. If he could only stop using his 90-pound frame to attempt to crush 42-pound Bailey on a daily basis, he would be almost perfect!

Kitchen Aid
Bought at a garage sale three years ago for $90. The cord is frayed and that's the only thing that worries me. I've used it to perfect seven recipes for my business, although I've become dependent on it for so many everyday kitchen uses I would now categorize it as indispensible. It's sort of a brushed grey metal and it's heavy duty and I think the creator of it should get a medal.

Red Apron
This was one of my first secret pal gifts from my friend Elle. It's from Williams-Sonoma so already I'm pleased but it also has my name on it so I feel vaguely official when I'm puttering around the kitchen in it. It has saved my collection of sweatshirts from so many grease splatters I can no longer count and its blue-red colour compliments my kick-ass highlights.

Canon PowerShot A20
This 2.1 megapixel unit cost me more money than I care to say but I got it years ago when 2.1 was the cutting edge of technology. It's seen me through more than one 26 Things project and my youngest niece is sick of the constant sight of it. I have a tendency to not download pics off the memory cards, choosing instead to buy new ones. I don't feel the need to upgrade because I've become so attached to my 'silver bullet'.

Posted at 2:19 p.m.