Tablecloth weights: who knew?

I was sitting on the patio at my in-laws’ house enjoying a nice cup of coffee when something gently bonked my leg. It was a teeny, tiny silver elephant, which was clipped to the corner of the tablecloth. This wee pachyderm appeared to be weighing down the tablecloth so it wouldn’t flutter up and blow away. A tablecloth weight! How genius! Who knew?

It turns out, after an exhaustive Google search, that there are about a zillion kinds of clip-on tablecloth weights that you can purchase instantly, and for not too much $$, either.  Check these out:

First off, how about the cute, little pewter RVs pictured above! Come on, campers, you know you want ‘em. http://dgworld.co.uk/blog/outdoor-cooking-equipments-romes-2034-set-of-4-2-5-inch-x-1-inch-vintage-rv-tablecloth-weights/

Or these slightly creepy 2” large black ants (these ones won’t spoil your picnic … in fact they might save it). You can find these at: http://www.organizeit.com/tablecloth-weights-set-of-ants.asp

And who doesn’t appreciate a little encouragement at the table? How about some Happy Luck Smile Love pebble clips? http://www.gardens2you.co.uk/garden-accessories/set-of-four-clip-on-grey-pebble-table-cloth-weights-outdoor-garden-accessory.html

But if you're like me you're probably thinking, hey, I could make those! So here are some instructions to make ‘em yourself: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/crafts/craft-tableweight.htm. I think once you figure out the clippy things, you can attach just about anything, like a painted rock, seashell, or even a little bag of sand or pennies.

If you do craft a set, please send me pictures! I want to see what you created.  Meanwhile, I guess I don’t have to weigh down my tablecloths with ketchup bottles anymore…

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Camping Giveaway: Win a Sierra Cup!

I have a fun contest to share with you all today, especially the campers! This classic Stainless Steel Sierra Cup is familiar to many campers. It has multiple uses: as a small bowl, plate or drinking cup, and can also be used as a small cooking/warming pan/pot. The Sierra Cup is a timeless, ultra-durable piece of camping equipment that has been and will always make an ideal addition to your outdoor and camping supplies. 



This month we’re giving away THREE Sierra Cups to separate winners! 

RULES: Rafflecopter keeps track of the entries and randomly selects the winners. All entries will be confirmed before a winner is selected. Invalid entries will be removed. Once we contact the winners they have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. US residents only.

We’ll be running the contest through November 30th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The #1 Most Important Car Camping Gadget

The Hide-A-Key. You'll thank me!

For families who leave behind the conveniences of home and plan adventures that take them off into the wilderness, there are any number of essential gadgets for light travel and scout-like resourcefulness. However, if—like us—you stuff your car with  oversized pots, pans, foam mattresses and seltzer makers, there is one gadget that you may want to consider...

A Leatherman? A headlamp? GPS? Nope. The most important car camping gadget you’ll ever own is a little doohickey called ... a Hide-A-Key. That might sound ridiculous, but trust me, if you ever lose your car keys when you’re camping, you will be so happy you bought this little gadget you may even send me flowers. (Roses are nice.)

So What Is It?

There are many different types and brand names for Hide-A-Keys (they are actually called keyholders, Hide-A-Key is one brand) - but they are all the same thing. A Hide-A-Key is a little box with a strong magnet on one side. You put a spare car key in it and stick it to the underside of your car. It costs about two dollars. That’s right, two bucks. And you can buy it at any hardware store.

Why Do I Need One?

I’m sure that you would never lose your car keys. Me neither! But consider this: Pete once went camping in Joshua Tree – a National Park in the middle of the Southern California desert – and in a total fluke accident the end of his ignition key broke off. He had to hitchhike to the nearest town and get the nice people in the hardware store to create a new key from the pieces! You don’t want to go through anything like that, do you? Me neither!

Where Do I Put It?

Every car is different, but pick a place close to the muffler, so you’ll remember where to find it. Reach under and find a nice, flat place to stick it on the chassis. That’s all.

Are They All The Same?

Pretty much, but if you have an oversized key, you’ll need an oversized Hide-A-Key, so bring your key with you to the hardware store to get the perfect fit.

Have fun camping, and I hope you don’t lose your keys! But if you do, and you have a Hide-A-Key (and I really hope you do), I’ll be right here waiting for my flowers. (Lilies are also nice.)

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Tablecloth weights: who knew?