RIGHT STUFF: Winter Comfort

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FINGER PROTOCOL
Nab a pair of recycled wool Crazy Mittens and protect your paws from what some suspect will be a brutal next couple of months. Hand-sewn by Maine native Ramona Bachman since 2006, the one-of-a-kind winter warmers employ Christmas-sweater castaways and army blankets, giving a second life to worn-out textiles. ?It?s a takeoff of my mom?s old-fashioned crazy quilts,? says Bachman of her quirky, haphazard designs. ?There?s really no rhyme or reason to them?some of them aren?t so crazy. There are no rules!?

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About $40 at the Arcadian Shop, 91 Pittsfield-Lenox Rd, Lenox, Mass.,

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PUSH IT
Shove the aftermath of last night?s snowstorm from your automobile more effectively than a wispy brush with the Arctic Plow, a SubZero tool whose tough name belies its tender foam construction. Since it features a sturdy telescoping handle of more than fifty inches, the scratch-averse swiper has become a favorite winter accessory for vehicles large and small and for human car-starters exasperated and impatient.

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About $20 at Carr Hardware, 2, Great Barrington, Mass., ; 57 Park St., Lee, Mass., ; 547 North St., Pittsfield, Mass.,
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TOP THIS
Set those steaming-hot pots of stews and soups down on Epicurean puzzle trivets and save your countertops from ruin and old skateboard ramps?from which the material is composed?from clogging up landfills. The cutting board company?s durable, nonporous, and food-safe composite withstands heat of up to 350 degrees, and the interlocking construction of these kitchen allies offers extra stability for shifty loads, so you won?t get burned.

Set of two, about $28 at Different Drummer?s Kitchen, 374 Pittsfield-Lenox Rd, Lenox, Mass.,

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LOOSE LEAF
Piano teacher-turned-tea peddler Ellen Pollen pushes more than fifty special blends of the most widely consumed beverage infusion in the world from a one-room pack shop in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, but those in her new Berkshire Tea Company collection are especially tempting as the chills get chillier. Of her seasonal medleys meant to soothe are Warmth (black tea spiced with orange peel, cinnamon, and slivers of apples and almonds) and Wellness (white tea mingling with rose petals, jasmine buds, and a cozy spike of cabernet). ?I like to experiment,? says Pollen of her newfound hobby turned healthy obsession, which also fuels tastings and private events. ?It?s an art.??

Two-ounce tin starting at about $10 at the Tea Peddler, 42 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington, Mass.,

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SKIN TO WIN
To experience Sacred Nature, the new, 100 percent organic skin-care line from the aptly titled Italian beautification company Comfort Zone, is to celebrate purity. Though it contains just five products?cleansing milk, scrub, mask, cream, and toning oil?the refreshing ?ritualistic skin care? has universal appeal. ?The products affect all the senses,? says Leslie Miller of Mepal Spa in New Marlborough, Massachusetts, which employs the products exclusively in its look-good, feel-great treatments. ?The scents are wonderful, they?re beautifully designed and packaged, and they feel sensational. Our customers rave.? You might, too?and from your own home.?

Starting at about $38 at Mepal Spa, 100 Stone Manor Dr.,
New Marlborough, Mass.,

[JAN/FEB 2010]

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