There's something kind of charming about fancy schmancy plastic plates. This set of four melamine dinner plates, measuring 10-inches diameter, comes in various brocade wallpaper patterns. I think they'd make nice serving dishes for party snacks. They quietly remind guests that this is a classy joint, so don't leave Cheetos on the floor.

$40.00, Loft Party

Who wants heart-shaped cupcakes? I do! I do! I'm not really sure how these things work. I guess you fill them up with batter and put them on a baking pan or something. Maybe someone else could take care of that part while I go buy frosting and heart-shaped sprinkles.

$14.95 for eight, Williams-Sonoma

A lot of Tupperware-esque containers make me feel mentally challenged. I get one side sealed and then the other side pops back up. I actually threw away one bowl because it was making me so angry. But these stacking containers are pretty nifty. You just push down a button in the middle of the lid to seal or unseal one. Here's a video of how it works.

$6.95 to $16.95 each, Crate & Barrel

These hand-blown glass pitchers, which are made in Turkey, have a beautiful shape. You can buy one that's either nine inches or 11.75 inches tall. They look gorgeous as a water pitcher or as a vase.

$16.95 or $26.95 each, Crate & Barrel

Here's reason #174 to bake a lot of cupcakes. So you can put them in this cool display. The pretty lacquered steel stand holds two dozen of your frosted gems. And it still looks pretty even if a couple of the cupcakes don't quite make it to the serving stand. You know, because of "defects" or whatever.

$36.95, Crate & Barrel

Talk about a recipe for fun... If anything makes me want to bake a cake or something, it's this flock of four nesting geese measuring cups. They're made of bone china, and it's safe to pop them in the microwave or dishwasher. Now someone needs to create measuring spoons that look like chicks.

$28.00, Anthropologie

Plain old toast seems pretty boring after you've seen this toaster. It comes with six insertable plates to burn various shapes onto your toast, such as a happy face, hearts, or a flower. Plus, you get five markers with edible ink, so you can doodle all over your toast before you slather it in butter and down it.

$39.99, Target

One thing I find impractical about environmentally-friendly shopping bags is that there aren't enough of them. One of them stuffed into my day bag isn't enough to accomodate a spontaneous shopping spree or even a trip to the grocery store on an empty stomach. This set gives you five big totes, which are a little more than 19 by 16 inches, that fold into a small 9 by 6 inch carrying pouch. Each bag is decorated in a stylish black and white pattern.

$35.00, Wishingfish.com

Drink your morning coffee out of one of these mugs, and you'll have the added bonus of letting everyone know what letter your name starts with. Each initial on one of these fancifully shaped mugs is embellished in a girly flourish, with flowers and/or birds and/or butterflies. Last time I checked, some of the letters were on back order. Anthropologie also sells some more masculine monogrammed mugs.

$6.00 each, Anthropologie

A friend of mine and I love going for tapas, a variety of Spanish appetizers. I can never get enough Gambas Al Ajillo (shrimp with garlic and olive oil). Now you can serve tapas (or any other appetizers) at home with one of these cool trays. You can choose from either a 18- or 22-inch-long wooden tray with four porcelain bowls.

$29.99 or $49.99, Bed Bath & Beyond